Todd Cordell: Flames on the brink after another underwhelming showing vs the Avalanche

I'm not sure Peters has any clue how to change this.

Today @ 10:52 AM ET
I'm not sure the players have any clue how to change this.

Edited for accuracy - I don't think this is a Peters issue. Flames players need to get their heads on straight. Starts with:

Getting in lanes, sacrificing body to block shots
Better transition game, they are too tentative right now in the neutral zone and on entry
Play their game. Avs have dictated the pace and style of play for 11 of 13 periods so far

I will give full marks to the Avs, the team that forces adaptation is usually the one that wins out. They've been fast, physical, getting in lanes, forcing Flames to the perimeter and haven't gotten caught up in the emotions of the series.

Flames better learn from this experience

Be an interesting offseason if this is how it ends. First Tampa now Calgary.

This may come as a surprise to Flames fans, but no one really thought you guys were a threat. To be fair, I don't think there is a favorite in the West this year. It's not Calgary, Nashville or Winnipeg for sure. Maybe Vegas, but St. Louis and Colorado seem hot at the right time.

As frustrating as it is watching Smith rob the Avs, I felt bad for him seeing him after Mikko's OT goal when I got home from the game last night (this morning?). He has to know this is one of his last chances and he's playing out his mind.

The two year wait for Makar has been worth it. Liquid silk, blazing speed, icewater in his veins.

If this is Mikko at less than 100%, well...

Lazy James Neal with a pathetic backcheck on the GMG. Should be wearing a mask, he's stealing money from ownership with efforts like that.

I'm not sure Peters has any clue how to change this.

That was always my one real knock against Peters. When things started slipping away he never seemed to know how to stop it. He coaches one way and one way only, which is fantastic when it's working, but when the time comes to adjust, he just... doesn't?

We'll see if he's learned anything, I guess.

Edited for accuracy - I don't think this is a Peters issue. Flames players need to get their heads on straight. Starts with:

Getting in lanes, sacrificing body to block shots
Better transition game, they are too tentative right now in the neutral zone and on entry
Play their game. Avs have dictated the pace and style of play for 11 of 13 periods so far

I will give full marks to the Avs, the team that forces adaptation is usually the one that wins out. They've been fast, physical, getting in lanes, forcing Flames to the perimeter and haven't gotten caught up in the emotions of the series.

Flames better learn from this experience
- rmull905

Yes and no. It's up to the coach to instill that into the players. To get them motivated and push them into battle even when it really sucks to be there.

Darryl Sutter was always a master at this. Even when his teams lacked the talent to match, they ALWAYS showed up and played a hard game.

This may come as a surprise to Flames fans, but no one really thought you guys were a threat. To be fair, I don't think there is a favorite in the West this year. It's not Calgary, Nashville or Winnipeg for sure. Maybe Vegas, but St. Louis and Colorado seem hot at the right time.
- FoxMulder

Judging by most of the hockey pools and playoff brackets I’ve seen you sir are incorrect

Yes and no. It's up to the coach to instill that into the players. To get them motivated and push them into battle even when it really sucks to be there.

Darryl Sutter was always a master at this. Even when his teams lacked the talent to match, they ALWAYS showed up and played a hard game.
- BINGO!

Yeah, guys like Sutter/Hitchcock/Torts have that ability - but it also tends to work for fairly short bursts. They are, for that reason, great playoff motivators, but also wear their guys down and are eventually tuned out. Happened here with Sutter, Hitch and Torts both have that rep as well.

I will say this, in game 3 when Peters called a timeout and just sat there smiling and drinking his water, I was pissed off. I've been craving emotion out of this team all year long and it just isn't there. Smitty gets run (even though fairly innocent) by Wilson and Hamonic hugs the guy. No scrums, no fights, no one has anyone else's back and it's frustrating.

st. louis looked really hot against the jets the last to games in st. louis. tire fire hot.

Johhny no playoff Hockey

Yeah, guys like Sutter/Hitchcock/Torts have that ability - but it also tends to work for fairly short bursts. They are, for that reason, great playoff motivators, but also wear their guys down and are eventually tuned out. Happened here with Sutter, Hitch and Torts both have that rep as well.

I will say this, in game 3 when Peters called a timeout and just sat there smiling and drinking his water, I was pissed off. I've been craving emotion out of this team all year long and it just isn't there. Smitty gets run (even though fairly innocent) by Wilson and Hamonic hugs the guy. No scrums, no fights, no one has anyone else's back and it's frustrating.
- rmull905

Bill rarely shows much emotion on the bench. It can be a good thing for some guys, I guess, as he's trying to exude calm confidence all the time, but I will say sometimes it comes off as smug.

And you're right about the not having eachothers back thing. I dunno if that's just a roster thing or a coaching thing (I'd say that a team generally takes on the personality of it's coach, but at least some of it has to be on the players themselves.) Guys hve to be willing to call each other out in the room and on the bench if somebody isn't going, but they gotta have each other's backs, right? Gotta be like brothers out there.

I will say this, in game 3 when Peters called a timeout and just sat there smiling and drinking his water, I was pissed off.

That wasn't even the problem. Bednar had thrown out his second line right before the timeout. The TO gave him time to rest 92/29/96 and he put them out afterward. What a stupid time for a TO. I didn't think much of Peters before this series, he seemed very mediocre in Carolina but he has done nothing to counter what the Avs are doing. Continuing to play Neal is mind boggling. All the gooning up after the whistle stuff that Calgary seems to do isn't working either.

Interesting to note. The Flames one of the top teams at drawing penalties during the regular season, you know, because penalties are a thing. Now that the refs have changed the rules and virtually no penalties are being called, it’s a different game.

Time for Flames players to realize this and start taking liberties with the Avs. It’s dirty hockey or nothing now. Figure it out.

Interesting to note. The Flames one of the top teams at drawing penalties during the regular season, you know, because penalties are a thing. Now that the refs have changed the rules and virtually no penalties are being called, it’s a different game.

Time for Flames players to realize this and start taking liberties with the Avs. It’s dirty hockey or nothing now. Figure it out.
- Flamin_Irishmin

"If you aren't cheating, you aren't trying hard enough." - Rod Brind'amour.

First period was pretty much all dump and chase only to lose possession nearly every time. They cleaned it up a bit eventually but pretty much every dump and chase play got neutered by the Avs. We are a puck control team, let’s play like it. We’re dumping pucks off like hand grenades for no reason. Quit panicking and skate the puck through the neutral zone ffs. This is getting embarrassing.

Interesting to note. The Flames one of the top teams at drawing penalties during the regular season, you know, because penalties are a thing. Now that the refs have changed the rules and virtually no penalties are being called, it’s a different game.

Time for Flames players to realize this and start taking liberties with the Avs. It’s dirty hockey or nothing now. Figure it out.
- Flamin_Irishmin

Flames went out in 4 straight last year and are going down in 5 this year.

I wonder if Monahan's value balances out Neal's negative value. Maybe package them together and hope someone will give up a second. Then go hard after Duchene or even just go with Bennett on the top line and save trees cap space.

Flames went out in 4 straight last year and are going down in 5 this year.
- hunter3333

Flames didn't make it last year, Bud.

Lazy James Neal with a pathetic backcheck on the GMG. Should be wearing a mask, he's stealing money from ownership with efforts like that.
- Jack Straw

He’s just so god damn SLOW. And when he does get the odd shooting opportunity he’s already behind the play and shoots it right into the crest of the goalie.

Needs to be traded in the off season. He has no NMC or NTC’s. BT needs to do whatever he can to get rid of him. We don’t need a Lucic playing for our team.

I don't know why people are so surprised. The Flames racked up wins against trash teams, but have been under .500 against playoff teams since January 1st. Gaudreau is soft. Enjoy the Pacific Division Banner ceremony next year. That's quite an accomplishment. Maybe next year Gaudreau can get 100 points too. Perhaps a banner for that too.

I wonder if Monahan's value balances out Neal's negative value. Maybe package them together and hope someone will give up a second. Then go hard after Duchene or even just go with Bennett on the top line and save trees cap space.
- Hunkulese

Funny, said that this morning around the ole water cooler, Monahan needs to be considered trade bait... Jesus Hunk thats twice I agree with you.

I don't know why people are so surprised. The Flames racked up wins against trash teams, but have been under .500 against playoff teams since January 1st. Gaudreau is soft. Enjoy the Pacific Division Banner ceremony next year. That's quite an accomplishment. Maybe next year Gaudreau can get 100 points too. Perhaps a banner for that too.
- uofcguy

wrong account