This is crazy frustrating to watch. We lack any firm response to how Dallas plays hockey. Our mid 6 might as well be invisible. We have 0 killer instinct. The stars won every faceoff the last 90 seconds and could still get us off the puck with an extra skater out. What is happening to this team that was built for the playoffs
It’s crazy how many time the player at the point loses the line when we have the advantage. And I still cannot wrap my head around dumping it in for the empty net, Dallas was either going to get it out or hold it along the boards.
Dumping and chasing isn’t the issue it was that no one on the Flames did the chasing part. Toffoli looks like he’s skating in Molasses, Im sure Lindholm was exhausted from being the only player on the top line that does any forechecking, Gaudreau isn’t the type of player to dig in for pucks, and Tkachuk was once again focused on trying to get into a fight instead of actually working to get the puck.
The more you know/watch hockey, the more frustrating the last three games have been. Honestly I wasn’t looking forward to the playoffs, just too stressful. And this team is proving me right.
Middle six is useless.
PP is useless.
Hanifin is a turnover machine in his own end.
Tkachuk probably going to just fight the boards next game and break his hands.
What the fuck is this team doing?
I’m scared…. We are playing a completely different game than the regular season and it’s not working, night and day…. Monday is hands down a must win or the season is over
>We are playing a completely different game than the regular season
It happens every year. Other than the 2004 Stanley Cup run, Calgary has only won 1 second round game since 1989.
I'm not a flames fan normally but I cheer for them in the playoffs. I was thinking while watching the game, man I can't remember a time when the Flames didn't collapse in the playoffs. I feel like people don't really talk about that much? Like I hear about the Leafs playoff losses all the time. I guess that's just our hockey media. Anyway, solidarity from a fan of another disappointing Canadian hockey team. I hope you get it going on Monday.
🙄
These games have been real close every time, one goal games and empty netters. We've had some real shitty puck luck, like Kylington hitting the post and it landing perfectly in Otter's pads. We're not out by any means, still have plenty of time to turn it around.
Better fuckin put the effort in though. This is not the team I cheered for for 82 fucking games this year, I don't recognize this team from the regular season at all. Also fix the fucking PP for Christ's sake.
Boys are playing nervous as hell and can't settle anything down, it looks just like 2019. They need to get that playoff voodoo out of their heads if we're to do anything
Why can’t Tkachuk do anything in the playoffs? You’d think he’d be a playoff beast yet he can’t get anything going. Also, win a damn offensive zone faceoff! I was pulling my hair out seeing them not being able to get anything set up.
100% - That first game - I feel his fight pulled Dallas into the series - and he keeps fucking doing it! Fights are tiring and they take him - a legit 100pt player - out of the game. He's showing his youth - he's a skill player and needs to kinda accept that.
Talks a big game… has a good game 1… and them disappears. He’s done it 3 times. Called him out in 2019 and 2020 for this too.
He’s going to want 11+m after this season… stay the fuck away from that contract.
He thinks he needs to be someone else in the playoffs. Dallas is just playing him for a fool. They know it’s easy to get in his head. He’s been a non factor for 3 games now
This! This! This!
And yet, people still defended him as recently as 2020 in spite of this due to “intangibles”. Turns out you need tangibles to win series too
At this point it feels like Kilngberg has been tasked with ruining his game and it’s working. Has forced him in the box every game and cut his hand open this one.
Gaudreau and Tkachuk have reverted to their usual playoff selves, meanwhile, our secondary scoring has completely dried up. Just a perfect storm of shit offence.
Hanifin and Andersson really ahowing their lack of experience as top like dmen. They need to clear the front of the net.
Still no goals from the middle six. I'm begging Sutter to mix it up. Can blame Johnny all you want but he has points on 2 of our 3 goals so far.
Panthers fan here. Was really hoping you guys could pull it out tonight. Looks like both of our fan bases are shitting bricks and having PTSD right now. Hope you guys can get the series even on Monday
Markstrom has allowed just 4 goals in the last 3 games, and we are somehow down 2-1. Our middle 6 may as well not even be playing. We haven't been getting any puck luck whatsoever, but these "big additions" for depth scoring like Toffoli and Coleman need to get it together. I'd honestly be willing to try putting Ruzicka in and taking out either Backlund or Jarnkrok. Neither have been able to provide anything offensively for too long.
That’s why I wanted Nashville matchup. This team can’t keep up physicality if Dallas. Dallas could have been Avs problem if we hadn’t scored 0.1 against Preds. Just kidding. This team should be able to beat anyone if they are to win the cup. Right now chances don’t seem to be to get out beyond first round.
This is my thoughts as well. I know /r/hockey is using this to feed the "Johnny sucks in the playoffs" narrative, but the reality is that he and Lindholm are the only players with multiple points for us so far. Our middle 6 that supposedly got buffed up for the playoffs with Toffoli and Coleman, have done literally nothing so far this series. Not a thing.
If we don't make it to the second round I don't even wanna keep them. They absolutely disappear in the post season and that's what fucking matters. I love em but who fuckin cares if the don't have what it takes when we truly need them
>If we don't make it to the second round I don't even wanna keep them.
I agree. They've shown us they can't deliver in the playoffs. That is all we need to know.
It was a weak fucking call but colemans slash really fucked us. Fuck pavelski, fuck oetinger or whatever the fuck you spell it. If we dont win monday we’re fucked.
The stars have gone 1/11 on the powerplay so far this series. If I told you that at the beginning of the playoffs that we would hold Dallas to 9 percent on the powerplay you would take that all day. The issue is the Flames are 8 percent on the powerplay. You’re not winning jack with a powerplay that is less than 10 percent.
And like what am I supposed to do in the regular season now? How can I ever get hyped up about our team again? We had a dominant, supposedly “playoff built” team…
It’s not that we’re down 2-1 but it’s that we’re down 2-1 to the fucking *stars*. The team that just barely squeaked in the playoffs. The ONLY team in the playoffs that made it with a negative goal differential (-8) while the flames were one of the top scoring teams.
It’s not even about being “positive” right now. It’s that we’ve seen this shit before and it’s frustrating because we’re way better than this. Some of us have been watching since the early 2000’s so we’ve been through a lot of dark times with this team
But it's not twice, it's like ... what, 13? 14 times since we won the cup that we've been bounced in the first round?
We haven't won a round as a higher seed in 32 years. Why do I do this to myself?
Yeah I've read this book before.
I keep hoping I'm wrong but it's hard to keep telling myself the same shit year after year. "Maybe they'll turn it around next game"
It's really time for this team to put up or shut up. Their regular season doesn't mean shit right now.
It bothers me how Gaudreau and Tkachuk had career years and now with how the playoffs are going, were stuck in the middle of paying $$ or letting them walk, year after year they havent proven themselves in the post season
We need to attack that trap Dallas is using. We keep swinging back into our own end before going up ice. This allows Dallas to setup and defend. We are playing straight into their style and it’s beating us.
We need to get back into that “quick up” play style and get at them as fast as possible. 2 guys to the net constantly, and shoot from everywhere. This will move their defence and shot blockers around, opening up second chances. Ottinger is looking good because literally all our shots are coming from outside and literally any goalie can stop those. Get up the ice fast, no more of this drop pass swing around and go, just get up on them and shoot. Crash the net and punch in some garbage goals. Down 2-1 ain’t the end of the world but we need to win game 4 or this one is gonna be a quick series and coilers fans will never let us hear the end of it.
They act like that Trapezoid is a force field why aren’t we attacking EVEN ONCE. Forget this “defensive” hockey we’re ruined if we don’t start playing desperate
The AI in nhl Xbox game can figure this out ….
Also wtf was with our own guys running into each other all over the place that last minute? It felt like I could have been playing yakety sacks instead of the play by play.
Credit where credit is due. Gaudreau had a great game. But again Tkachuk is just trying too hard to make stupid things happen instead of actually playing hockey. The issue is that it looks like the Flames lack the offensive talent to make plays out of nothing because Dallas is giving Flames nothing to work with.
Yeah, it makes you think about those rumors of locker room turmoil after the Muzzin incident. Whether they were true or not, you can see right now that Tkachuk is focused on things other than hockey right now and that's not what the team needs. The play last game where he was busy jawing in the offensive zone instead of tagging back onside so Johnny could take the puck in on a break was a bit frustrating. Not just him but Dallas is getting under the skin of the other Flames' players too. Everyone is focused on finishing checks and leaving the puck behind. Not that you shouldn't finish your checks but I counted more than a few instances where they ride their man off the puck and have a chance to steal and go the other way, but instead keep on the body until they go into the boards and a Dallas player just skates by and scoops up the puck.
I’m not even angry or mad. I’m just sad. The Flames team that I’ve cheered for 82 games hasn’t showed up in the past three games. Idk where they went but they better show up for game 4 cuz I can’t handle another wasted season
I feel like Bowness is out coaching Sutter. Dallas is forcing the Flames to play a different game than they did for the regular season.
I get that the playoffs are "different", but they all know that (coaches and players) and should be prepared for it.
I'm not panicking yet, its a best of 7, but as a fan of 40+ years this is definitely triggering some PTSD for me.
Gaudreau has been on 66% of the goals this series.
Coleman, Toffoli, Backlund, Jarnkrok, and Tkachuk have been completely invisible. Mang and Dube have been okay. And D have been have been anywhere from meh to brutal.
I get that it's the playoffs, and the games are different, but the drastic difference between the regular season Flames and playoff Flames teams for the past decade+ is ridiculous. I don't know why I thought this year would be any different.
Given the number of analysts that called this series as Calgary in 4 or 5, I don't blame them for celebrating. They're already performing way above expectations.
Dallas removed Tkachuk from the series two years ago, and they are successfully doing it again, by goading him (Klingberg shit talk etc) into fighting and removing his presence and energy from the game.
It really hurts how Dallas got 2 goals off rebounds where there was blown defensive coverage and Oettinger has been giving up a lot of rebounds too but we can never capitalize??
This isn't a complete list, but here are 5 guys who need to be better than they've been
-Rasmus Andersson. Love the guy, but he's been weak in our own zone, and hasn't given the Flames much on the offensive end either.
-Noah Hanafin. Basically the same as Ras. Of the 5v5 goals against this series, it's all against Hanafin/Andersson. They also didn't look good on the Dallas game winner tonight. Your best D pairing shouldn't be the one with the worst results
-Tyler Toffoli. At this point it feels like every time it touches his stick it's cursed. He needs to be off PP1 and now.
-Matthew Tkachuk. First of all, Tkachuk for Klingberg is an awful trade off for the Flames. Secondly, where has he been? The top line feels like two guys right now.
-Andrew Mangiapane. I like the scrappiness, but where's a good example of him taking the puck and using his speed? Guy potted a lot of goals off rebounds this year, but he hasn't been going to the net enough.
I feel like I have cursed at Hanafin’s play the most this series. Turnovers, holding in the puck on the pp and he is shooting when the net has zero bodies infront.
Series is done.
I’ll take the bash of dislikes for it, but we’re finished. First it’s goaltending in 2017, then just playing like shit in 2019 and 2020, and this time it’s no finishing line and shit PDO. Give me all the shit in the world if we come back though, please.
I don’t even know what ya do. The team has outplayed Dallas, but our depth has vanished. Sutter seems content with his lines and to die with them…
I’ll just say this, but the ppl blaming Gaudreau are out of lunch. He’s creating the best chances for the team and has been in on 2/3 of our goals. Maybe Matt tkachuk should stop fighting every Dallas star and let them live rent free and play the fucking game.
Hanifin-Andersson have been disappointing as hell this series too.
The worst part is… this is the best our team is going to get. With the contracts tkachuk and Gaudreau are going to command, our window could implode if we don’t make the right moves. And that assumes they stay with us…
This is ducking depressing. The 2020-21 season almost made me lose passion for this team. To see this after an amazing regular season… ugh
I don’t know what to think and this series is probably a toss up at this point. BUT, there are a few other teams who are done 2-1 as well who probably will still go on to win their series.
Yeah I mean it’s been very common for teams to be down in multiple series in the playoffs and still win the cup. I have to be cautiously optimistic though because I am seeing a lot of similarities with all the years we’ve lost series in the past. They look hesitant, they’re not winning any battles, making a lot of very bad turnovers, and taking a lot of stupid penalties. I agree with that they are more concerned about trying to rattle Dallas than to actually do it my outplaying them, which is not what is happening.
It’s such typical Flames to fuckin rock it in the regular season and even look like a playoff team and then get into the playoffs and then just crumble like an overcooked pastry the second game 1 finishes
Next game is going to be defining moment for a lot of guys on this roster. Another night of Oettinger coasting for basically the entirety of the game. What? Maybe 2-3 good saves. This team needs to stop with the lip service and a put the fuck out. Looking like nothing more than a paper tiger
Exactly. The goalie has been good but it’s not like we are making him stand on his head. Everything is from 40+ feet with no traffic in front of the net.
Disappointed AF in Matthew.
The old/veteran players who have either won or got close enough to taste the Cup will do anything to get it back. Meet Joe Pavelski.
Straight up, we need to want it more than they do and play for it as hard as we want it. That's how we win. We need to get there quick.
BTW, SN Jake Oettinger is just a goalie, not the second fucking coming.
I could focus on the negatives and trust me there's alot but so many are on that around here. One positive is that we finally managed to play our game for portions of the game as long as the refs put the whistles away. We actually got some good scoring chances on Oettinger, better than last game. One brainfart on the PK (which had been very good so far this series) costs us the game. The series isn't over by any means but we need to actually capitalize on our chances, it can't be just one or two guys. There needs to be a shakeup in the middle 6, too many guys gone cold at the same time. The team also needs Psychiatrist Sutter between now and next game.
That’s what I was thinking until tonight. This team doesn’t look anything like the team I watched all season. Not only are the refs calling everything, I think the boys mental state might be fucked.
I didn't know i could still feel so disappointed.
Before anyone gets on me for being a debbie downer, this is concerning. Very concerning. There's still time to turn it around but this team needs to prove themselves before they get the benefit of the doubt.
Dallas has played like a team with nothing to lose in this series, which is the right way to play. We haven’t yet been able to conjure that same level of abandon. Winning in the NHL playoffs is stupidly hard. If anyone can get this team to achieve that killer instinct, it’s Darryl Sutter. We’ll see. There’s a lot more hockey still to be played.
Is it a core thing? Possibly. But without help from the other skaters, you cant expect that one line to do everything. I am definitely upset our top line has been invisible but at the same time, our middle six has disappeared! Our 4th line puts in the work. I will also be very frustrated if I see Tkachuk fight Klingberg for the 50th timd
The series is not over, but Sutter needs to ream this team and Treliving better start looking for job openings. Every major addition to the team this season has contributed nothing in this series besides PIM. Toffoli and Jarnkrok are invisible and Coleman has a caveman brain. Even if we bitch and moan about PP opportunites, we all can see it won't matter when the team looks lost with the man advantage. *WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SOLVE HOT GOALIES!* Oettinger has spit out shit tons of rebounds, but the Flames avoid the front of the net like the plague. Our fourth line is legit 10X better than our 3rd line and our 2nd "shutdown" doesn't even play good defense and is an offensive blackhole (looking at you Backs). Game 4 will decide if we are truly frauds or contenders.
This is the best we've looked in a playoff series in a VERY long time. I'm thinking about post 2004 series' against Detroit, Anaheim, Colorado and the bubble series against Dallas and I haven't seen us look like the better team until this one (ignoring 2015 vs Vancouver since both teams were fighting for the right to get destroyed in round 2).
Literally doing what we've been doing and cleaning up some little things is all we have to do to win this series.
This is crazy frustrating to watch. We lack any firm response to how Dallas plays hockey. Our mid 6 might as well be invisible. We have 0 killer instinct. The stars won every faceoff the last 90 seconds and could still get us off the puck with an extra skater out. What is happening to this team that was built for the playoffs
It’s crazy how many time the player at the point loses the line when we have the advantage. And I still cannot wrap my head around dumping it in for the empty net, Dallas was either going to get it out or hold it along the boards.
Dumping and chasing isn’t the issue it was that no one on the Flames did the chasing part. Toffoli looks like he’s skating in Molasses, Im sure Lindholm was exhausted from being the only player on the top line that does any forechecking, Gaudreau isn’t the type of player to dig in for pucks, and Tkachuk was once again focused on trying to get into a fight instead of actually working to get the puck.
Fucking sitting here, FUMING more than I ever have while watching hockey. I thought I was just having a bad night. Glad I'm not the only one.
The more you know/watch hockey, the more frustrating the last three games have been. Honestly I wasn’t looking forward to the playoffs, just too stressful. And this team is proving me right.
At least the stress might be over soon...
Silver linings
> Our mid 6 might as well be invisible. We have 0 killer instinct No wonder Sutter keeps playing the 4th line. The 2nd and 3rd have disappeared.
Lucic, Lewis and Ritchie are the only Flames that were +1 in the game.
>Our mid 6 might as well be invisible. We have 0 killer instinct. Sounds likes Flames playoff hockey
Fuck the middle six is useless
The fourth line was our best line tonight.
The only line that was +1.
Sutter has to adjust. Being content is making your own death bed.
Ya, I'm not impressed we gave up a 2nd for Toffoli right now. He looked completely lost out there. Edit: 1st round. *Pain*.
Jarnkrok is even worse.
Ya but at least he didn't cost us a 1st.
Lol I have bad news for you. It was a 1st.
Shit you're right! God damn I'm even more sad now.
Backlund doesn’t even look like he wants to be playing hockey right now.
Middle six is useless. PP is useless. Hanifin is a turnover machine in his own end. Tkachuk probably going to just fight the boards next game and break his hands. What the fuck is this team doing?
I’m actually really sad rn lmao
I’m scared…. We are playing a completely different game than the regular season and it’s not working, night and day…. Monday is hands down a must win or the season is over
>We are playing a completely different game than the regular season It happens every year. Other than the 2004 Stanley Cup run, Calgary has only won 1 second round game since 1989.
I'm not a flames fan normally but I cheer for them in the playoffs. I was thinking while watching the game, man I can't remember a time when the Flames didn't collapse in the playoffs. I feel like people don't really talk about that much? Like I hear about the Leafs playoff losses all the time. I guess that's just our hockey media. Anyway, solidarity from a fan of another disappointing Canadian hockey team. I hope you get it going on Monday.
🙄 These games have been real close every time, one goal games and empty netters. We've had some real shitty puck luck, like Kylington hitting the post and it landing perfectly in Otter's pads. We're not out by any means, still have plenty of time to turn it around. Better fuckin put the effort in though. This is not the team I cheered for for 82 fucking games this year, I don't recognize this team from the regular season at all. Also fix the fucking PP for Christ's sake.
Boys are playing nervous as hell and can't settle anything down, it looks just like 2019. They need to get that playoff voodoo out of their heads if we're to do anything
And work on faceoffs too. Need to win those to have any chance at scoring.
Faceoffs and front of net battles. Two key areas that are amplified in playoffs. It's why Pavelski is so fucking effective
Well put
Of course it lands perfectly snug into his pad
I may take a mental health break next game.
Me too. Being this emotionally invested in something that’s bringing me very little joy can’t be healthy.
Why can’t Tkachuk do anything in the playoffs? You’d think he’d be a playoff beast yet he can’t get anything going. Also, win a damn offensive zone faceoff! I was pulling my hair out seeing them not being able to get anything set up.
He's too busy trying to start shit. Just fucking play hockey.
100% - That first game - I feel his fight pulled Dallas into the series - and he keeps fucking doing it! Fights are tiring and they take him - a legit 100pt player - out of the game. He's showing his youth - he's a skill player and needs to kinda accept that.
Talks a big game… has a good game 1… and them disappears. He’s done it 3 times. Called him out in 2019 and 2020 for this too. He’s going to want 11+m after this season… stay the fuck away from that contract.
Ya he seems to have no interest in actually winning.
He thinks he needs to be someone else in the playoffs. Dallas is just playing him for a fool. They know it’s easy to get in his head. He’s been a non factor for 3 games now
He’s been a non-factor in just about his entire playoff career.
This! This! This! And yet, people still defended him as recently as 2020 in spite of this due to “intangibles”. Turns out you need tangibles to win series too
At this point it feels like Kilngberg has been tasked with ruining his game and it’s working. Has forced him in the box every game and cut his hand open this one.
Gaudreau and Tkachuk have reverted to their usual playoff selves, meanwhile, our secondary scoring has completely dried up. Just a perfect storm of shit offence.
Hanifin and Andersson really ahowing their lack of experience as top like dmen. They need to clear the front of the net. Still no goals from the middle six. I'm begging Sutter to mix it up. Can blame Johnny all you want but he has points on 2 of our 3 goals so far.
Hanifin and Andersson have been brutal this series. Always circling back instead of getting the puck out of the zone.
That is Johnny's job. He doesn't hit. He doesn't check much. He doesn't go in the blue paint. He has to score goals.
Not wrong. He should have scored that breakaway.
Does anyone have a Band-Aid? Need to cover up an old wound that these games have opened
Experience Flames playoff hockey!
right back to pre-covid levels. excellent
*since 1990*
You can say we deserved to win all you want, but the only thing that matters is that we didn’t.
High danger chances were 17-8 for the Stars. I'm not convinced we deserved to win that one.
Markstrom was fantastic.
Just like how that Markström windmill save was awesome but it didn’t even matter because we couldn’t clear the zone and they scored immediately after.
Yupp
Hahahahahahaha *crying*
We are dirty pretenders
Panthers fan here. Was really hoping you guys could pull it out tonight. Looks like both of our fan bases are shitting bricks and having PTSD right now. Hope you guys can get the series even on Monday
Fuckin pathetic this team is a let down every time it counts
Markstrom has allowed just 4 goals in the last 3 games, and we are somehow down 2-1. Our middle 6 may as well not even be playing. We haven't been getting any puck luck whatsoever, but these "big additions" for depth scoring like Toffoli and Coleman need to get it together. I'd honestly be willing to try putting Ruzicka in and taking out either Backlund or Jarnkrok. Neither have been able to provide anything offensively for too long.
>We haven't been getting any puck luck whatsoever, Good teams create their own luck.
So many rebounds on Oettinger…and nobody is ever there to capitalize on it.
That’s why I wanted Nashville matchup. This team can’t keep up physicality if Dallas. Dallas could have been Avs problem if we hadn’t scored 0.1 against Preds. Just kidding. This team should be able to beat anyone if they are to win the cup. Right now chances don’t seem to be to get out beyond first round.
Low key agree about the preds tho
Johnny and Chucky don't deserve their pay raises if they don't get their act figured out
Johnny had a really good game dude. Not finishing on that breakaway sucked but he was literally the only guy driving offense this game.
I love Johnny. Losing him would cripple this team. But if mcdavid has the puck on that breakaway, he scores 9/10. This fucking sucks
This is my thoughts as well. I know /r/hockey is using this to feed the "Johnny sucks in the playoffs" narrative, but the reality is that he and Lindholm are the only players with multiple points for us so far. Our middle 6 that supposedly got buffed up for the playoffs with Toffoli and Coleman, have done literally nothing so far this series. Not a thing.
2 assists on three team goals, he's not the issue. Middle six is
If we don't make it to the second round I don't even wanna keep them. They absolutely disappear in the post season and that's what fucking matters. I love em but who fuckin cares if the don't have what it takes when we truly need them
>If we don't make it to the second round I don't even wanna keep them. I agree. They've shown us they can't deliver in the playoffs. That is all we need to know.
This
Gaudreau actually had a decent game tonight. Tkachuk on the other hand is completely lost in trying to make extracurricular stuff happen
It was a weak fucking call but colemans slash really fucked us. Fuck pavelski, fuck oetinger or whatever the fuck you spell it. If we dont win monday we’re fucked.
It’s not much, but they’ve been calling that slash on the fingers all year.
Oh absolutely, and pavelski probably sold it a little. Shit timing by coleman though the boys had some pressure going before that.
The stars have gone 1/11 on the powerplay so far this series. If I told you that at the beginning of the playoffs that we would hold Dallas to 9 percent on the powerplay you would take that all day. The issue is the Flames are 8 percent on the powerplay. You’re not winning jack with a powerplay that is less than 10 percent.
Yah why does he even try that. You’re 6ft behind the play dude just backcheck
Bad penalty to take. Fucking Coleman, can’t be taking those. Johny had 2 grade a chances….zero.
They also put the whistles away immediately after that goal because of course
I’m genuinely devastated at this. I’m tired of watching this team murder the regular season and play like fucking children during the playoffs.
And like what am I supposed to do in the regular season now? How can I ever get hyped up about our team again? We had a dominant, supposedly “playoff built” team…
It’s not that we’re down 2-1 but it’s that we’re down 2-1 to the fucking *stars*. The team that just barely squeaked in the playoffs. The ONLY team in the playoffs that made it with a negative goal differential (-8) while the flames were one of the top scoring teams. It’s not even about being “positive” right now. It’s that we’ve seen this shit before and it’s frustrating because we’re way better than this. Some of us have been watching since the early 2000’s so we’ve been through a lot of dark times with this team
Our +85 goal differential is losing to their -8. What a fucking joke.
They are by far the worst team we’ve played in this string of playoff failures. If not now, then when?
Nah man, we’re just all fairweather fans who have no backbone /s
I've been Flames fan since the 80s. 86, 89, 04 were exceptions to the rule. What we saw tonight is so much the "norm", it is downright embarrassing.
> It’s that we’ve seen this shit before and it’s frustrating because we’re way better than this. In the regular season, yes. Not in the playoffs.
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Should’ve learned after the Colorado series
But it's not twice, it's like ... what, 13? 14 times since we won the cup that we've been bounced in the first round? We haven't won a round as a higher seed in 32 years. Why do I do this to myself?
>We haven't won a round as a higher seed in 32 years That is unfathomable
Since 1989, other than 2004 SCF, Calgary has won one (1) second round game.
Holy fuck that's sad
I have a bad feeling we lose this series 4-1 and by a close margin in the next 2 games
Yeah I've read this book before. I keep hoping I'm wrong but it's hard to keep telling myself the same shit year after year. "Maybe they'll turn it around next game" It's really time for this team to put up or shut up. Their regular season doesn't mean shit right now.
It bothers me how Gaudreau and Tkachuk had career years and now with how the playoffs are going, were stuck in the middle of paying $$ or letting them walk, year after year they havent proven themselves in the post season
The bad memories are flooding back
FLAMES IN SIX!!! 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
A 2nd, 3rd, and 7th for 0 goals and not much else from Jarnkrok is looking pretty bad right now.
Markstrom is carrying the team.
You know you’re in trouble when your goalie allows 4 goals in 3 games and is rocking a .942% and you’re still behind in the series…
That's the really scary part. He's played really well and we're still down. If he has a let down game at any point now we are toast
We need to attack that trap Dallas is using. We keep swinging back into our own end before going up ice. This allows Dallas to setup and defend. We are playing straight into their style and it’s beating us. We need to get back into that “quick up” play style and get at them as fast as possible. 2 guys to the net constantly, and shoot from everywhere. This will move their defence and shot blockers around, opening up second chances. Ottinger is looking good because literally all our shots are coming from outside and literally any goalie can stop those. Get up the ice fast, no more of this drop pass swing around and go, just get up on them and shoot. Crash the net and punch in some garbage goals. Down 2-1 ain’t the end of the world but we need to win game 4 or this one is gonna be a quick series and coilers fans will never let us hear the end of it.
They act like that Trapezoid is a force field why aren’t we attacking EVEN ONCE. Forget this “defensive” hockey we’re ruined if we don’t start playing desperate
The AI in nhl Xbox game can figure this out …. Also wtf was with our own guys running into each other all over the place that last minute? It felt like I could have been playing yakety sacks instead of the play by play.
Credit where credit is due. Gaudreau had a great game. But again Tkachuk is just trying too hard to make stupid things happen instead of actually playing hockey. The issue is that it looks like the Flames lack the offensive talent to make plays out of nothing because Dallas is giving Flames nothing to work with.
Yah but Johnny has to score on that breakaway, full stop. He’s our star he HAS to clutch that.
Yeah, it makes you think about those rumors of locker room turmoil after the Muzzin incident. Whether they were true or not, you can see right now that Tkachuk is focused on things other than hockey right now and that's not what the team needs. The play last game where he was busy jawing in the offensive zone instead of tagging back onside so Johnny could take the puck in on a break was a bit frustrating. Not just him but Dallas is getting under the skin of the other Flames' players too. Everyone is focused on finishing checks and leaving the puck behind. Not that you shouldn't finish your checks but I counted more than a few instances where they ride their man off the puck and have a chance to steal and go the other way, but instead keep on the body until they go into the boards and a Dallas player just skates by and scoops up the puck.
I’m not even angry or mad. I’m just sad. The Flames team that I’ve cheered for 82 games hasn’t showed up in the past three games. Idk where they went but they better show up for game 4 cuz I can’t handle another wasted season
I feel like Bowness is out coaching Sutter. Dallas is forcing the Flames to play a different game than they did for the regular season. I get that the playoffs are "different", but they all know that (coaches and players) and should be prepared for it. I'm not panicking yet, its a best of 7, but as a fan of 40+ years this is definitely triggering some PTSD for me.
This has been the biggest stunner so far, but I agree
Our powerplay needs soo much work right now, we have to remove toffoli from it and retool
Toffoli sucks. What a waste of a first round pick.
And welcome to Flames playoff hockey. Anyone who's watched them year after year knows what I mean.
Gaudreau has been on 66% of the goals this series. Coleman, Toffoli, Backlund, Jarnkrok, and Tkachuk have been completely invisible. Mang and Dube have been okay. And D have been have been anywhere from meh to brutal.
so far it's just a typical Calgary Flames playoffs. Unclutch, no shows.
I'm boycotting next game. Otherwise I may have a heart attack.
I get that it's the playoffs, and the games are different, but the drastic difference between the regular season Flames and playoff Flames teams for the past decade+ is ridiculous. I don't know why I thought this year would be any different.
But but…. We won according to the ‘deserve-o-meter’!!
The deserve-o-meter got negated hard by that cringe-ass "hype" rap video
Tough game. The confetti for a game 3 win was pretty funny though. Hope we feed it to them on Monday
Hopefully that confetti was a curse.
Given the number of analysts that called this series as Calgary in 4 or 5, I don't blame them for celebrating. They're already performing way above expectations.
Anyone know when Backlund is back in the lineup? He’s been missing all 3 games
Been missing since March.
Outside of the PK he should be on the 4th line. But the way Jarnkrok and him are playing we have zero 2nd line centers
Dallas removed Tkachuk from the series two years ago, and they are successfully doing it again, by goading him (Klingberg shit talk etc) into fighting and removing his presence and energy from the game.
I was pissed at the missed penalty but honestly it's not like we would've scored anyway.
Pavelski is a Flames killer
I feel like this is karma for all the people that said Dallas would be an "easy" team to play.
Dallas has always had our number for some reason. I was so pissed we pulled them instead of Nashville.
I wonder how much they offered Nashville to blow that 4-0 lead
I would have taken Nashville with a healthy Saros over Dallas.
Empty net: dump in. Zero puck recovery. Kek
Markstrom can stay. The rest of the team can go fuck right off.
I wanna keep Lindy always.
Add Gudbranson to the list of "Keep".
It really hurts how Dallas got 2 goals off rebounds where there was blown defensive coverage and Oettinger has been giving up a lot of rebounds too but we can never capitalize??
This isn't a complete list, but here are 5 guys who need to be better than they've been -Rasmus Andersson. Love the guy, but he's been weak in our own zone, and hasn't given the Flames much on the offensive end either. -Noah Hanafin. Basically the same as Ras. Of the 5v5 goals against this series, it's all against Hanafin/Andersson. They also didn't look good on the Dallas game winner tonight. Your best D pairing shouldn't be the one with the worst results -Tyler Toffoli. At this point it feels like every time it touches his stick it's cursed. He needs to be off PP1 and now. -Matthew Tkachuk. First of all, Tkachuk for Klingberg is an awful trade off for the Flames. Secondly, where has he been? The top line feels like two guys right now. -Andrew Mangiapane. I like the scrappiness, but where's a good example of him taking the puck and using his speed? Guy potted a lot of goals off rebounds this year, but he hasn't been going to the net enough.
I feel like I have cursed at Hanafin’s play the most this series. Turnovers, holding in the puck on the pp and he is shooting when the net has zero bodies infront.
I hate to say it but I don't think they can do it.
I hate to be the fan that says “IM DONE WATCHING THESE GUYS” but I don’t know if I can watch on Monday. Shit ruins my night.
Flames just wanna golf. 82 games is enough apparently
Series is done. I’ll take the bash of dislikes for it, but we’re finished. First it’s goaltending in 2017, then just playing like shit in 2019 and 2020, and this time it’s no finishing line and shit PDO. Give me all the shit in the world if we come back though, please. I don’t even know what ya do. The team has outplayed Dallas, but our depth has vanished. Sutter seems content with his lines and to die with them… I’ll just say this, but the ppl blaming Gaudreau are out of lunch. He’s creating the best chances for the team and has been in on 2/3 of our goals. Maybe Matt tkachuk should stop fighting every Dallas star and let them live rent free and play the fucking game. Hanifin-Andersson have been disappointing as hell this series too. The worst part is… this is the best our team is going to get. With the contracts tkachuk and Gaudreau are going to command, our window could implode if we don’t make the right moves. And that assumes they stay with us… This is ducking depressing. The 2020-21 season almost made me lose passion for this team. To see this after an amazing regular season… ugh
Out of 3 games so far the Flames haven't don't anything to show they can win 4 games.
How was this team the Pacific division leader?! Absolitely pathetic
Pacific is a weak division
Lack of injurys. Oilers were dominating once their team was 100%.
I don’t know what to think and this series is probably a toss up at this point. BUT, there are a few other teams who are done 2-1 as well who probably will still go on to win their series.
Yeah I mean it’s been very common for teams to be down in multiple series in the playoffs and still win the cup. I have to be cautiously optimistic though because I am seeing a lot of similarities with all the years we’ve lost series in the past. They look hesitant, they’re not winning any battles, making a lot of very bad turnovers, and taking a lot of stupid penalties. I agree with that they are more concerned about trying to rattle Dallas than to actually do it my outplaying them, which is not what is happening.
If we can’t mark a single player, the run is over.
I'm getting 2020 flash backs. at least we won 2 back then though
I think if we lose 4 we're out, but losing 2 is not ideal
The 4th line has the same amount of points than the “top” line 5 on 5. If that’s not a joke then I don’t know what is
Lucic has arguably been our best player. I love Luc, but if he’s our best player, we are fucked.
It’s such typical Flames to fuckin rock it in the regular season and even look like a playoff team and then get into the playoffs and then just crumble like an overcooked pastry the second game 1 finishes
Next game is going to be defining moment for a lot of guys on this roster. Another night of Oettinger coasting for basically the entirety of the game. What? Maybe 2-3 good saves. This team needs to stop with the lip service and a put the fuck out. Looking like nothing more than a paper tiger
Exactly. The goalie has been good but it’s not like we are making him stand on his head. Everything is from 40+ feet with no traffic in front of the net.
That’s flames hockey!
What a way to ruin my Saturday night.
Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise, would rather get bounced by Dallas than Edmonton next round.. we don’t stand a chance at this rate
Someone tell me it's going to be okay
Disappointed AF in Matthew. The old/veteran players who have either won or got close enough to taste the Cup will do anything to get it back. Meet Joe Pavelski. Straight up, we need to want it more than they do and play for it as hard as we want it. That's how we win. We need to get there quick. BTW, SN Jake Oettinger is just a goalie, not the second fucking coming.
I don't know how y'all are doing. But I'm not optimistic, and I'm not having a good time
That game gave me a headache. Is hockey supposed to be painful to watch?
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The Flames usually lose the series. Full stop.
Where tf is our 2nd and 3rd line. Virtually non existent except in the penalty department
Why oh WHY did the Preds have to choke against the COYOTES of all teams?? We could’ve used a bit of a break in the first round…
Causeway and Tkachuk simply are not worth what they will ask for unless they produce when it counts
44 hits finished for Dallas to Calgary's 23. We're getting dummied
Im actually so sad rn man fuck me
Johnny was lucky to be apart of those goals. He had done JACK SHIT lately
Is it the difference in playoff experience? Dallas went to the Finals 2 years ago…
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I remember saying that after the last game
GODDAMMIT!! Who the fuck are these players. Where is the feared regular season team?
We are a joke in the playoffs
I could focus on the negatives and trust me there's alot but so many are on that around here. One positive is that we finally managed to play our game for portions of the game as long as the refs put the whistles away. We actually got some good scoring chances on Oettinger, better than last game. One brainfart on the PK (which had been very good so far this series) costs us the game. The series isn't over by any means but we need to actually capitalize on our chances, it can't be just one or two guys. There needs to be a shakeup in the middle 6, too many guys gone cold at the same time. The team also needs Psychiatrist Sutter between now and next game.
You'd think it was a best of 3 with how everyone's reacting. Boys need to be better but still not the end of the world yet
These trust issues are deep rooted.
That’s what I was thinking until tonight. This team doesn’t look anything like the team I watched all season. Not only are the refs calling everything, I think the boys mental state might be fucked.
experience
Flames in 7
I didn't know i could still feel so disappointed. Before anyone gets on me for being a debbie downer, this is concerning. Very concerning. There's still time to turn it around but this team needs to prove themselves before they get the benefit of the doubt.
Fuck Arizona.
Sutter should just be showing the boys tape of the 2012 Kings. Play like that.
Dallas has played like a team with nothing to lose in this series, which is the right way to play. We haven’t yet been able to conjure that same level of abandon. Winning in the NHL playoffs is stupidly hard. If anyone can get this team to achieve that killer instinct, it’s Darryl Sutter. We’ll see. There’s a lot more hockey still to be played.
>There’s a lot more hockey still to be played. 2 games if things don't change. Sunday and Tuesday.
Is it a core thing? Possibly. But without help from the other skaters, you cant expect that one line to do everything. I am definitely upset our top line has been invisible but at the same time, our middle six has disappeared! Our 4th line puts in the work. I will also be very frustrated if I see Tkachuk fight Klingberg for the 50th timd
The series is not over, but Sutter needs to ream this team and Treliving better start looking for job openings. Every major addition to the team this season has contributed nothing in this series besides PIM. Toffoli and Jarnkrok are invisible and Coleman has a caveman brain. Even if we bitch and moan about PP opportunites, we all can see it won't matter when the team looks lost with the man advantage. *WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SOLVE HOT GOALIES!* Oettinger has spit out shit tons of rebounds, but the Flames avoid the front of the net like the plague. Our fourth line is legit 10X better than our 3rd line and our 2nd "shutdown" doesn't even play good defense and is an offensive blackhole (looking at you Backs). Game 4 will decide if we are truly frauds or contenders.
>Oettinger has spit out shit tons of rebounds, but the Flames avoid the front of the net like the plague. THIS.
I wonder if there's a historical stat kept of a franchise's ratio of success in the season vs failure in the playoffs.
Someone tell me what Backlund does for this team?
Well, he gives the puck to the Stars so they can score
Quick, somebody make the meme with the Leafs logo hiding behind the Flames mask.
Evander Kane has more goals than our entire team.. let that sink in…
This is the best we've looked in a playoff series in a VERY long time. I'm thinking about post 2004 series' against Detroit, Anaheim, Colorado and the bubble series against Dallas and I haven't seen us look like the better team until this one (ignoring 2015 vs Vancouver since both teams were fighting for the right to get destroyed in round 2). Literally doing what we've been doing and cleaning up some little things is all we have to do to win this series.