Pre-Game Talk: WCQF GM 2: Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames - Apr 17 - 7:00PM PST - CBC

[Mr. Canucklehead]

vs.

Flames Lead Series 1-0

When: Friday, April 17th, 2015, 7:00PM PST
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver forwards Bo Horvat and Jannik Hansen celebrate Horvat's first career playoff goal in a 2-1, Game 1 loss to Calgary.


Vancouver Canucks' Starting Lineup:

Forwards:

Defense:

Goal:

Calgary Flames' Starting Lineup:

Forwards:

Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Jiri Hudler
Sam Bennett - Mikael Backlund - Joe Colborne
Michael Ferland - Matt Stajan - David Jones
Brandon Bollig - Markus Granlund - Josh Jooris

Defense:

Kris Russell - Denis Wideman
TJ Brodie - Deryk Engelland
David Schlemko - Corey Potter

Goal:

Jonas Hiller

​

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[Huggy]

Play baertschi over higgins. Higgins is too old and no finish

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Play baertschi over higgins. Higgins is too old and no finish

Baertschi is in Utica, although I wouldn't mind seeing him get a shot against his old team at some point. Kenins was awful in Game 1 and would be a logical substitution, but I gather he'll get a chance to play better in Game 2.

Two keys for me; 1) Better bench management. The Sedins were eating the Flames alive, so lean on them more heavily. They got chances galore in Game 1, and those chances will go in eventually. 2) Notice to all players - go blocker side on Hiller. It worked for Tanev earlier in the year. Hiller is a goofy hand (snowboarding terminology, catches with his right), so it's a shift for players to go the opposite side to go blocker, but they need to do it).

Actually felt we played the Flames well for the majority of Game 1 (most of the 2nd and the tail end of the 3rd excepting). The Flames made some rookie errors, we held their top line in check, and we looked dangerous. Build on that and come out hungry for Game 2.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Also, quick question for those that know; what site does everyone use for their advance stats after each game? And is there a legend on how it all works? It's an area I'm curious to know more about.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Must win. I don't like our chances going into Calgary down 2-0.

 

[Angry Little Elf]

I keep forgetting that Hiller is a righty.

 

[shortshorts]

Please just keep Bieksa and Sbisa off the ice.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Way too many passengers last night. 2nd line was terrible and refused to stop on pucks, was so frustrating to watch constant flybys by that line. Richardson line refused to get pucks to the net and seemed content to just cycle in the corners. Sedins need to find some finish because it's pretty clear they are going to get some grade A chances throughout the series.

I wasn't overly impressed by any of our D last night either. Weber directly cost us a goal and the winning goal, well, I thought all 5 players on the ice had an equal share on that one.

Honestly, everyone needs to be much better and work much harder, there was no good reason for them to lose last night. The last 10mins of the 3rd they looked like the inexperience team, not the Flames, it was actually embarrassing to watch. They abandoned all structure and played their worst stretch in months.

The last shift of the game was especially hard to watch. Canucks outnumbering the Flames 4-2 down low and yet they lose the puck battle and never get close to getting a puck to the front of the net. If you want to know what was wrong with them, just play that on a loop because it showed how poor their compete level was.

And yes, WD needs to do a much better job with his ice times.

Lack was solid, should've been his first win.

Flames team reminds me a lot of the Wild team that ousted the Canucks in 2003.

Going to be a long series as we all predicted, but if they lose game 2, oh boy...

 

[Cogburn]

Calgary wants to be here, they wanted to win.

Vancouver seemed to think they were entitled to win. They had very little intensity for most of the game, and stumbled and made bad mistakes. Offence had dried up, and defence was panicking, so let's cut that crop out tomorrow.

Go Canucks!!!

 

[struckmatch]

This is where WD being super loyal and patient can really turn into a negative.

He has to be able to adjust and that means making sure we have our best forwards and top D pairs on the ice at key times in the game.

 

[Huggy]

Matthias and richardson were what caused the lack of intensity, matthias thinks hes a top 6 who can dangle on the perimeter and he just losses the puck, and a few times he could have just shoveled it in front of the net and he just held onto it.

richardson looks hurt.

sit matthias, higgins to 4th, baertschi in.

wont happen tho i think they rather keep sven to try and win a calder cup with the real core of this team

 

[crazychimp]

Don't think he'll be up from Utica but if Baertschi was in I'd put him in Kenins spot on Bo's line then put Kenins with Richardson's line.

Edit: Wouldn't put Bart with Vrby, Flames did a good job of shutting Vrby down you can tell they're paying extra attention to him.

Can't wait for game 2 I thought we played good just have to find a way to stop Calgary's strong 3rds.

 

[hockey dude]

I keep forgetting that Hiller is a righty.

Think Canucks need to remember to!

 

[Proto]

This is where WD being super loyal and patient can really turn into a negative.

He has to be able to adjust and that means making sure we have our best forwards and top D pairs on the ice at key times in the game.

Yup. That's what I've been concerned about -- and have said repeatedly -- all year. It's fine and dandy to be loyal/stubborn/consistent in the regular season, but in the playoffs the coaching/match-ups are more important. Over the course of a long series, there are more actual adjustments that need to be made.

The Canucks had a nice gameplan to start the game. They actively disrupted the Flames breakout. The Flames adjusted in the 1st intermission and the Canucks had no response after that, allowing the Flames to move up ice relatively easily and force a number of odd-manned rushes. I'll be interested to see what the first period looks like on Friday.

I think the Canucks win that game big in a rout. Desjardsins annoys me, but he gets a consistent effort out of the boys. I see that coming to the fore in game 2.

 

[NoShowWilly]

If Matthias doesn't light someone up tomorrow i'm done with him. Dead Minute Mcmillan can take his place.

 

[M2Beezy]

I really hope WD takes some guys out puts some new faces in cause we need a diffy momentum if we want a win game 2. Any one here is any line up changes?

 

[M2Beezy]

Anyways im predicting 3-0 flames win in game 2

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I really hope WD takes some guys out puts some new faces in cause we need a diffy momentum if we want a win game 2. Any one here is any line up changes?

The only options up front currently with the team are Linden Vey and Brandon McMillan. The reaction on here if either of those two were substituted in would be...unpleasant. Although I wouldn't particularly object to either dressing in place of Kenins as a bit of a lesson.

But that's splitting hairs, really. I think the Sedins will need to - and will - lead the way in Game 2. Bury some of those chances.

 

[EpochLink]

Must win game 2, let's see what his team is made out off

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

In terms of importance, tomorrows game is huge. This is the last hurrah for the core. They lose, then the series is likely done in 4 or 5 and we see wholesale changes in the summer.

As we saw last game, the Canucks took it to them early. The Flames looked rattled, absolutely shell-shocked but they got better and more comfortable as the game went on. Forget all the talk about inexperience as they have it now. They played a very solid road game, and were outstanding in the third.

The core players need to step up. Absolutely no excuse for the number of turnovers and breakdowns yesterday that led to 5 odd man rushes in 3 minutes. Flames could have blown the game wide open had they capitalized on those chances.

It's nice to generate scoring chances, but you need to bury those chances in front of the net. Hesitation or panic accounts for why many of those chances sailed wide or right into Hillers glove or chest.

Finally, this is an opportunity for WD. He needs to prove he is a legitimate NHL coach; where you can ill afford to have the wrong match-ups on the ice. Where you have to ride your best players and put them out in situations where they can succeed. The more successful coaches in the playoffs ( past few years) have religiously matched lines despite having insane depth; Joel Quenneville, Claude Julien and Darryl Sutter.

I see it as a Game 7. The Canucks need to come out and set the tone early. Definitely need more urgency and the killer instinct.

 

[Pip]

Don't think he'll be up from Utica but if Baertschi was in I'd put him in Kenins spot on Bo's line then put Kenins with Richardson's line.

Edit: Wouldn't put Bart with Vrby, Flames did a good job of shutting Vrby down you can tell they're paying extra attention to him.

Can't wait for game 2 I thought we played good just have to find a way to stop Calgary's strong 3rds.

Baertschi did not look good on the Horvat line offensively and was a complete train wreck defensively.

 

[CanaFan]

The only options up front currently with the team are Linden Vey and Brandon McMillan. The reaction on here if either of those two were substituted in would be...unpleasant. Although I wouldn't particularly object to either dressing in place of Kenins as a bit of a lesson.

But that's splitting hairs, really. I think the Sedins will need to - and will - lead the way in Game 2. Bury some of those chances.

Agree, I don't think the line up per se was the issue but rather the play of some players as well as how the minutes were doled out. Need better games out of every forward not named Sedin, Burrows, or Horvat (maybe Dorsett too) as well as ensuring the top line and top D pair are actually playing the minutes and roles befitting their top designation.

Good news is WD made a lot of mistakes and it was still a pick 'em. Hopefully he looks at his own performance and makes the necessary adjustments. I feel good for a Game 2 win, and I am far from an 'optimist' with this team.

 

[EpochLink]

Prior to last nights game, this team won 3 in a row..now way they were gonna win 4 straight

 

[stuffradio]

The current projection is we'll be golfing by Tuesday night. Is that what the players really want? This fan base will become apathetic again if we lose like this. Mark my words.

 

[Phred Phlinstone]

I was half expecting to come to this thread and see a bunch of threads that spoke about how the sky is falling. Glad that that isn't the case.

IMO, the Canucks, for the most part, outplayed the Flames. However, what is becoming a pretty common theme over the past dozen playoff games for the Canucks is the inability of the Sedins to finish on the great opportunities they create for themselves.

The Sedins dominated when they were on the ice last night, but the puck hit that invisible wall around the net for them all game.

This is an oversimplification, but one goal in a playoff game isn't going to win you many games.

If the Sedins can continue to play the way they did in Game 1 but have a little finish (for the love of Hockey Gods, please give them some finish), Canucks should win the series.

But if they don't, it's going to give the young Flames more confidence and we'll probably have to sit back and watch Gaudreau, Monahan, Ferland, Bennett, Jooris get bolder and bolder and take over the series. Gotta nip that one in the bud.

And here's to hoping the Canucks decide to make an all out effort for the full 60 minutes on Game 2 rather than the 40 minutes or so that we got last night.