Colorado is beating us with speed. Only adding Valimaki was a half measure. Neal should sit a game at least. He hasn't been a factor for the Flames all year long, we shouldn't be spoon feeding him minutes now that the season is on the line.

Tkachuk Money Bennett
Johnny Backlund Lindholm
Czarnik/Dube Janko Frolik
Mangi Ryan Hathaway

Whoever looks the best out of Dube & Czarnik should draw in--I lean towards Dube (Calgary kid--so home playoff game could provide extra motivation).

And for the love of god keep Valimaki in--he's already one of our top 4 dmen
- Saskabush

There’s no way vali sits

I don’t mind those lines ...,I’d be open to both kids coming in but Czarnik would probably get first nod

There’s no way vali sits

I don’t mind those lines ...,I’d be open to both kids coming in but Czarnik would probably get first nod
- Redmile247

If anything, he should be getting more minutes. He's one of the few Flames dmen who doesn't get overwhelmed by the Avs speed.

Limit Brodie's minutes to 3rd pairing, he's prone to costly mistakes and you can't have that on the brink of elimination. Only issue is that Hanifin/Hamonic haven't exactly been great either...


Play the hell out of Gio I guess
- Nucker101

Gio looks tired from carrying Brodie all year lol

If anything, he should be getting more minutes. He's one of the few Flames dmen who doesn't get overwhelmed by the Avs speed.
- Nucker101

(frank) it let’s try something original

2 D lines

Gio with either Brodie or ras
And rotate the other 3 guys two at a time

Just go with that until Gio collapses

If anything, he should be getting more minutes. He's one of the few Flames dmen who doesn't get overwhelmed by the Avs speed.
- Nucker101

I'd bench Brodie our of principle. His play changed the series.

Not the point. They came first out of a weak west. The fact that Mike Smith is their best player proves it.

Even on paper the team should be ranked 4th st best. They overperformed. I hope they win the next 3. I said 2 days ago they would and whiffed. Here is hoping.

Avs were always the worst matchup (outside of VGS). Should have paid for Stone.
- FLflames34

They were the second best team in the nhl this year ...the fact that the west was weak doesn’t matter ...they are being out coached and out worked by the 17th best team

They were the second best team in the nhl this year ...the fact that the west was weak doesn’t matter ...they are being out coached and out worked by the 17th best team
- Redmile247

That is a ridiculous argument. They are soft. As was Tampa, the 'best' team.

Paper champs yield no tangible rewards. It's a bummer but it is true. If they go out to an 8 they should look at scorched earth options, soft conference or not.

Colorado has always been a sneaky good team. Calgary has compensated this year with scoring. The tighter checking has crushed their ability.

I'd be asking McGratton if he can still skate.

That is a ridiculous argument. They are soft. As was Tampa, the 'best' team.

Paper champs yield no tangible rewards. It's a bummer but it is true. If they go out to an 8 they should look at scorched earth options, soft conference or not.

Colorado has always been a sneaky good team. Calgary has compensated this year with scoring. The tighter checking has crushed their ability.

I'd be asking McGratton if he can still skate.
- FLflames34

Did Monahan play tonight?

I thought the Flames would get at least 2 good seasons from Neal. I can't believe what a failure that experiment has been. Talk about a fall from grace.

I can't believe Giordano just can't summon up his amazing regular season Corsi stats and turn this ship around

Ho hum. Another playoff opponent...another loss. Maybe the Flames need a couple games against Ottawa and LA to pad their stats?

I can't believe Giordano just can't summon up his amazing regular season Corsi stats and turn this ship around
- jimbro83

is this about the chart?

Smith got caught moving laterally. Again I am right in my analysis.

Peters is out of ideas.

Gaudreau spends more time complaining to the refs than he does playing the game. Not a guy who can win in the playoffs. But cool that he got 99 points, with most against non-playoff teams.

That is a ridiculous argument. They are soft. As was Tampa, the 'best' team.

Paper champs yield no tangible rewards. It's a bummer but it is true. If they go out to an 8 they should look at scorched earth options, soft conference or not.

Colorado has always been a sneaky good team. Calgary has compensated this year with scoring. The tighter checking has crushed their ability.

I'd be asking McGratton if he can still skate.
- FLflames34

Or coach.

Did Monahan play tonight?

I thought the Flames would get at least 2 good seasons from Neal. I can't believe what a failure that experiment has been. Talk about a fall from grace.
- Ol_Boy_Wop

Neal was a horrible signing. 1.9 million for 8 years is the buyout. There are enough young fast and cheap guys around who can backcheck that the team will be better off with.

Neal was a horrible signing. 1.9 million for 8 years is the buyout. There are enough young fast and cheap guys around who can backcheck that the team will be better off with.
- tincup

If they aren't trying to find a home for him in the offseason, BTs not doing his job. The guy couldn't even handle tape to tape passes last night - whatever the reason, his game is totally gone at this point.

Remember mid season when Neal was giving Smith poop for smiling at the bench after giving up a bad goal? Who is holding Neal equally accountable these days?

Made the point elsewhere last night that it was 25 years ago that Messier guaranteed a win and then dragged the team with him. I just don't see anybody in that locker room with the balls to make that type of claim and actually follow through right now. Except Smitty, who has basically redeemed himself with his play in these 4 games. Christ, even giving up 6 in game 3, it was hard to fault the guy at all.

The team has forgotten how to play, plain and simple. Not aggressive, not fast, not shooting when there are perfectly good opportunities to do so, not blocking shots...Backlund should have LAID the (frank) out on that last goal in overtime, especially after taking a stupid ass penalty (that should not have been called with 3:21 to go in the third period of a 1 goal game) and instead basically just screened Smitty.

The boys have lost whatever mojo they had and need to find a way of building an actual playoff roster for next year. Faster and bigger.

If they aren't trying to find a home for him in the offseason, BTs not doing his job. The guy couldn't even handle tape to tape passes last night - whatever the reason, his game is totally gone at this point.

Remember mid season when Neal was giving Smith poop for smiling at the bench after giving up a bad goal? Who is holding Neal equally accountable these days?

Made the point elsewhere last night that it was 25 years ago that Messier guaranteed a win and then dragged the team with him. I just don't see anybody in that locker room with the balls to make that type of claim and actually follow through right now. Except Smitty, who has basically redeemed himself with his play in these 4 games. Christ, even giving up 6 in game 3, it was hard to fault the guy at all.

The team has forgotten how to play, plain and simple. Not aggressive, not fast, not shooting when there are perfectly good opportunities to do so, not blocking shots...Backlund should have LAID the (frank) out on that last goal in overtime, especially after taking a stupid ass penalty (that should not have been called with 3:21 to go in the third period of a 1 goal game) and instead basically just screened Smitty.

The boys have lost whatever mojo they had and need to find a way of building an actual playoff roster for next year. Faster and bigger.
- rmull905

And to think the pundits were waxing about goaltending being Calgary's weakness. Yah.

And to think the pundits were waxing about goaltending being Calgary's weakness. Yah.
- Misterbator

Smiths been great and even put up some offence too lol

Only 7 players on the flames have more points then mike smith

Monahan, Gio, Lindholm have 1 more point than smith

Limit Brodie's minutes to 3rd pairing, he's prone to costly mistakes and you can't have that on the brink of elimination. Only issue is that Hanifin/Hamonic haven't exactly been great either...


Play the hell out of Gio I guess
- Nucker101

Hanifin & Hamonic are pretty solid together--Hanifin has been a train wreck when paired with anyone else all year.

Agree on Brodie--but I think Pairing him and Valimaki together could be a mistake.

Gio Valimaki
Hanifin Hamonic
Brodie Rass

That could work--it's do or die so if I'm Peter's I'm putting Valimaki and Rass with Gio every time I get a chance.

There’s no way vali sits

I don’t mind those lines ...,I’d be open to both kids coming in but Czarnik would probably get first nod
- Redmile247

I see Peter's followed my advice on Czarnik

I was thinking that trying Johnny with Backlund could be an easy way to get him more ice time. Having Tkachuk and Bennett with Money could wake his ass up (a couple punches to the face after every scrum will do that sometimes )