[icarus]

A thread I've been saving for the August doldrums, when we can reflect with fondness and sadness on the Flames' great season and playoff run.

I'll get straight to the point for those who don't want to read on: In game 4, would you have pulled the goalie for a 56-second 6-on-3 powerplay when trailing by one goal with just over twelve minutes to go?

The failure of the Flames to score on their 5-on-3 is what I consider to be the turning point in the series, i.e. the moment when the outcome of the series was all but assured.

To set the scene a little for those who don't remember:

- Game 4 at the Saddledome.
- Each team has won at home so far, the Flames trailing the series 2-1.
- In the previous game, the Flames scored on a 6-on-3 in the dying seconds to send it to OT where they won.
- Flames jump out to an early 2-1 lead in game 4
- Ducks claw back in the 2nd period on a Johnny Hockey turnover to tie it
- Joe Colborne's boneheaded hi-stick at the end of the second leads to an ANA PP marker at the beginning of the third to send them ahead
- About five minutes later ANA takes a hooking penalty and while killing the penalty take another, leading to a 56-second 5-on-3 with about twelve minutes left in regulation
- The Flames generate little and fail to score on the 5-on-3
- The late game push comes up short and ANA scores an empty net to seal the victory

I'm pretty conservative when it comes to pulling the goalie but at the time I remember thinking that Bob Hartley should have pulled Ramo to make it a 6-on-3. Hindsight is 20-20 and we all know that the 5-on-3 didn't work but would you have made the same call as Hartley or would have you gambled and left the net empty for the extra attacker with so much time left?