[Cheese]

Pre Game hype from the Oylahz faithful!

I don't think the Flames are for real. I know they have a great record, and I do think they are a deep team, but this isn't that different of a team than the one from last year. They've had some great luck with injuries, and built steady chemistry from that. I suppose the real test is in the playoffs, but if the Oilers play their A game tomorrow, it should be an Oilers win.

Our PP is coming around too. The PK has some positive signs too. It looks like RNH couldn't have come back at a better time

Plus they eased in Kulak last night (and didn't even use the secret weapon Brassard), once he(they) see more time I expect more quality PKing.

There’s a lot of Oiler fans in Calgary, it’ll be a loud crowd and lots of fun.

Calgary is a good hockey city, it’s not just a Flames town. There’s a massive contingent of Oiler fans, lots of Leafs and Canucks fans too....
Maybe that explains why their management always has such a hard on for former Oilers n former Canucks

WIth the Flames, I can see them going pretty far but I can also just see them getting knocked out in the first round. Like if they draw Minnesota or something in the first round, good luck.

I think they have a "playoff" type of roster. Lots of big guys on the back end that can clutch and grab. Pretty good depth, pretty good defensively. Sutters a good coach.

They dont have a ton of gamebreakers though. They dont have the best center depth. I could see their offense drying up, due to lack of game breakers (Gaudreau for example tends to disappear in the playoffs). How far can Lindholm and Tkachuk carry the offense in the post season?

Biggest difference to me, is that Markstrom is playing like the goalie that they signed to that big contract. Last year, he was trash. They also have Tyler Tofolli for additional scoring and he should not be underestimated. The guy is a big time pressure scorer. And added significant depth and grit this year with Blake Coleman and Ryan Carpenter, and upgraded their bottom d pairing with Gudbranson and Zadorov. I hate them immensely, as we all do, but they did make some very good adds in addition to Markstrom finding his game.

That team is, and really always have been for the past 10 or so years a team that rides the high of momentum when they get it.

When they get on a roll they will beat anyone, but when they stop they stop hard. As you said, they have had zero injuries and were truthfully the only team that had to deal with zero COVID attrition when dressing a lineup because their entire roster got it at the exact same time. They were also the first to have a major outbreak, so they got their entire roster back at the same time the rest of the league was taking players out of their lineup nightly for COVID.

I'll give credit where credit is due - they are having a great season. However, this year they might have had the most injury/roster luck that I have ever seen an NHL team have over this long of a time period, especially when you factor in COVID. They have been able to dress their full roster essentially every game other than one offs here and there.

Just as the Oilers have probably been handicapped 5-7 points (at least) by our f***ing brutal management decisions and probably 2-4 more by injuries, the Flames have probably benefitted by 4-8 points by simply having nothing at all bad happen to overcome.

The book on Jacob Markstrom is shoot from the high slot. Ten feet inside the blueline to 5 feet across the top of the face-off circles. Generally easily accessible ice when you have full control in the offensive zone and that's the magic spot with this goaltender. Bouchard should be able to skate in and get 5 shots off from that area. He will be a potent weapon against the Flames if he can manage that.

If Koskinen starts we win. If Smith starts we don't.

There is 99.44% chance my prediction of 7-2 Oilers might not come to fruition, but let's win this one by any margin for Ben Stelter. The San Jose game was nice for the lad, and he deserves a big thrill tonight from his idols.

Darnell Nurse will have his best game of the season and McDavid and Drysaitl will be, well, McDavid and Draisaitl. Goaltending will not be a question. The puck will be in the Flames D zone all night. I'm hoping the Coyotes have softened up the Flames just enough for the Oilers to waltz into the Saddledome and grab those two points....which MUST!!!!!! happen. The bit players and the new guys will show that they belong here in the Big Show, Not Bakersfield.

If a team called the Saint Peters PEACOCKS can thrash Purdue, then the Edmonton Oilers can extinguish the Calgary Flames.

I haven't checked on those forever young folks over at Calgary Puck for a very long time, but I expect they will have collectively the most knotted up pants in Alberta history.

Late HNIC game tonight. Should give me enough time to install the extra heavy duty springs on the Oiler bandwagon to accommodate everyone jumping on it tonight.