Lots of good trends and storylines from that first game.
-Tkachuk being a pest and getting two goals was good to see. He had a very lackluster 2016 playoff run against Anaheim.
-Loved the Smitty chants from that game. I’ve never been more embarrassed to be a Flames fan then when Smith was getting Bronx cheers earlier this year. I swear there are some fans who would rather be right about their “which goalie is better” pick than to see the team win. Nice to see Flames fans be a force of good for the team. The more Smitty chants, Ricci’s ugly chants, Go Flames Go’s the better.
-Flames PK was very good. Stood up the Av’s at the line multiple times. Gave them almost no good shooting lanes when they had zone time
-Limited the Av’s to two 2-on-1’s. Hamonic played one perfectly and the Av’s players flubbed the other chance. They didn’t have many chances otherwise.
-Lindholm laying the body was a bit of a revelation. The Flames now have 4 lines and 3 D pairings with at least one player that will actually hit people. I think it is understated how important this is.
-Mangiapane could be an X-factor for the Flames. That line is going to get favourable matchups all postseason. The Av’s did a pretty good job of containing the top line, but the Flames have a scoring threat on each line.
-Seemed to be a pretty equal effort from both teams. The Flames could win this in 4 or 5 if that trend keeps up. The Av’s played well, but unless Grubauer can stand on his head, they don’t have the depth to beat the Flames.
|