Quote:
Originally Posted by Love
Flames just had horrible luck against Edmonton akin to the playoff series against Anaheim. I'm pretty sure we outchanced them in all four games but were done in by head-scratch worthy bull####. I still remember that game (I think it was in January) were Slepyshev picked up the puck on the halfwalls on one of the first shots of the game and just beat Elliott cleanly over his shoulder and everyone I was with just collectively rolled their eyes like 'oh here we go again'. I think the Flames on paper are just as good (or even better) than the Oilers or Ducks, but they have to believe it as well. Confidence is a prerequisite for success, and unless our guys believe that they can beat those teams, they won't. I like the way our schedule starts this season, on the road in Edmonton for kickoff and not too long after that on the road at the Honda center for game 3. Although this team could go on to lose both of those games and have a stellar season, I still think that those will be fairly critical litmus tests for this club.
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Or how the Flames should've been right in it in game 1 until the Wideman effect met the McDavid effect with that phantom grab, right after several Oilers lumberjacked Gaudreau at the other end.
No strange D pairings, no Wideman, no Grossman, and the team not being ice cold to Gulutzan's system should help in this season opener though.
We never seem to face Anaheim early in the season and the Ducks are traditionally a slow starting team. So of course we get them when they're starting to gel and get hot usually. This time there may be a good chance to stick a fork in that streak right off the hop, which would help set the tone for the season. One can hope.