[GDT] Flames @ Oilers, 8 pm, CBC

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Looking to see a lot of this tonight




It's not legal, but at least it's better than the "swarm" defense.




Well no wonder he can't stop the puck. His eyes are closed!


Geez Ference, I never thought I would see you embellish...



Flames: 42-29-7, 91 points, 3rd in the Pacific, 7th in the West, 15th in the NHL.

Oilers: 23-42-13, 59 points, 6th in the Pacific, 13th in the West, 28th in the NHL.


Alright, it's easy to make fun of the Oilers, and good reason to as well, but it's still a team in the NHL and we know that they can win a game now and then too. I wouldn't put it past them to put forward their best effort of the season tonight against their provincial rival who needs to win this game tonight, no questions asked. Seriously, a loss tonight would be devastating, the Oilers know this, and I'm sure they would love nothing more than hurt the Flames in the standings. Their pride was likely hurt after losing 8-2 to L.A. in their last game, so expect some fire to start the game tonight. The Flames' playoff chances currently sit at 78%, but a loss tonight would drop their chances by 17.1%, whereas a win only increases their odds by 7.1%. Surprisingly, a win by L.A. only decreases the Flames odds by 2.7%, and a Winnipeg win is 4.4%. Losses by those teams are much more important, increasing the Flames' chances by 7.3 and 5.8% respectively.

So clearly the Flames need to get up for this game, which shouldn't be too hard considering how badly they were beat by the Blues in their last game. They looked a little languid against St. Louis, so focus and energy will be the key against an Oilers team that is 5-3-2 in their last 10 despite blowout losses to Anaheim and L.A. on the road. Don't get too excited. Those wins came against Colorado twice, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Toronto, all teams that have pretty much been out of the playoffs for a while now and have given up. But the one thing the Oilers were doing well in those games was scoring, tallying 4 or more goals in each of those wins. The Flames will have to watch out for Jordan Eberle, who's been on a tear lately scoring 18 points in his last 13 games and is even a +3 over that stretch too (a big accomplishment for any Oiler this year). Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has 17 points over those 13 games as well, but has been poor his last few games with just 1 point and a -5 in the last 2 games. Taylor Hall also has 6 points in his last 7 games after returning from injury, and is also +4 in that span. So the top players for Edmonton are working well for the most part, and players like Pouliot and Purcell are chipping in secondary scoring too, but how can you win when neither of your top 2 goalies have a GAA under 3.00 and Sv%s below .900. It's been a nightmare of a year in terms of defensive play for the Oilers, but their goaltenders have done little to help the team this year despite both Scrivens and Fasth having a strong end to the year last year. The search for a bonafide #1 goalie continues for the Oilers after another lost season. It's just such a shame they didn't have the patience to stick with Dubnyk (green text implied).

But this game isn't really about the Oilers. It's also not entirely about the Flames, although the game is an important one to win. No, this game is about one Sam Bennett being recalled directly to the NHL to aid a playoff push in the exact same way he aided the Kingston Frontenacs' drive to the playoffs. One can only hope for him to have the same pace (roughly 2 points-per-game). But honestly, this kid coming in will only pick up the energy level of a team that has been struggling to get up for games of late, and it will push some of the more established players to hit a higher level for fear of losing their spot in the lineup. There's a lot of debate as to whether this was the right move for Bennett and the Flames long term, and even more debate as to whether he will play or not. I can't say I have a crystal ball or any inside connection, so I'll just wait to see how it all plays out. I will say though that this was a kid that spent the majority of a season working on his fitness, strength, and conditioning. At his age and level of development that's exactly what he needed, and the results showed when he went back to junior and absolutely dominated the competition. He also practiced with the Flames for an extended period of time, learning the system and becoming familiar with the other players. This isn't like any other call-up because he's essentially been a part of the team the entire season, just hasn't gotten into any game action. I think this is as seamless a transition as you could hope for a junior age player coming into the NHL, so don't be shocked to not only see him play tonight, but play well. It's been talked about a lot already that he will not burn a year of his ELC unless he plays every regular season game, and the Flames go to a game 6 or more in the opening round of the playoffs. I'd happily take that scenario for not only the Flames, but for Bennett as well, as he would get invaluable experience in big games very early in his career. I'm truly excited for tonight, even though there's no guarantee he'll play.

However, the wet blanket inside me needs to remind myself of the last time something like this happened: Sven Baertschi. Very similarly, recalled right at the end of the season with much anticipation and excitement from the fan base over a hard-working, energetic, young, and extremely talented prospect making his NHL debut. Now, there's nothing to say these two players are all that similar, and there's nothing to indicate history repeating itself here, but I do hope that management has learned from their mistakes and handles his progression the right way.

Of course, I say all that but the fan inside me screams like a little school girl at the prospect of being Bennett on the Flames full time going forward.

Roster Notes: Obviously, the big one is the aforementioned Bennett joining the Flames, but no word on whether he will play or not. Diaz went down last game with an injury, so Tyler Wotherspoon was recalled to take his roster spot. It's still unclear as to whether Wotherspoon or Potter will draw in tonight. In short, the Flames lineup tonight is a bit of a mystery. The Oilers have a host of injuries to their supplemental players: Ference, Fayne, Gordon, Fasth, Bachman, Pinizzotto, Pitlick are all out for tonight. An already thin NHL roster is much thinner now.

*With the Bennett and Wotherspoon questions I have no idea about the lineups, so I'll post 2 possible scenarios. I think Bennett starts at wing, rather than center for defensive purposes.

Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bouma-Backlund-Jones
Raymond-Granlund-Colborne
Ferland-Stajan-Shore

Russell-Wideman
Brodie-Engelland
Schlemko-Potter

Ramo

OR
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bennett-Backlund-Bouma
Raymond-Granlund-Jones
Colborne/Ferland-Stajan-Shore

Russell-Wideman
Brodie-Engelland
Wotherspoon-Schlemko

Ramo

...basically just wait for sureLoss to post the lineups.


Oilers
Pouliot-Nugent-Hopkins-Eberle
Purcell-Roy-Yakupov
Hall-Lander-Miller
Gazdic-Klinkhammer-Fraser

Klefbom-Schultz
Marincin-Nikitin
Davidson-Aulie

Scrivens






Go Flames Go!!!!!!

[DynamRyan]

Go Flames! I'll be landing in Florida just as the game starts, so I'll be listening via on the Fan960 via wifi. Let's inch closer to the Playoffs!

[Street Pharmacist]

Going to the game. Can't wait

[-TC-]

I expect the oilers to show up tonight...they are going to try and oust the Flames from the playoffs.

The Flames are going to have to get a couple quick ones and get them to cave. After that, it's a mopping up exercise.

[Tsawwassen]

Centre Ice channels for:
Saturday, April 4
Calgary at Edmonton, 2000h Mountain
Flames feed in red

Game is on the CBC in Canada, therefore it is not on Centre Ice.

USA
Indemand - Game 1 SD Game HD1
Directv - 769 SD 769-1 HD
Dish - NA

Sirius Radio-- Siri Internet 926
XM Radio-- XM Internet 926
SXM Radio-- SXM Internet 926

[JoelOtto29]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

The Flames' playoff chances currently sit at 78%, but a loss tonight would drop their chances by 17.1%, whereas a win only increases their odds by 7.1%.

[Table 5]

This is one of those games that if you can't take advantage of and win, you probably don't deserve to be in the playoffs. This team needs 4 points out of the next 2 games...nothing else will do.

[Yoho]

Win it is then.

Can't really say we are a playoff team if we lose to these neerdowell's.

Go Flames go!

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Going to the game. Can't wait

[FireItUp]

The day visiting teams win and the Flames playoff chances increase by 20.2%.
Edmonton vs Calgary +7.1
Winnipeg vs Vancouver +7.3
Los Angeles vs Colorado +5.8

[JonDuke]

[Mongo]

The desire to make the playoffs trumps the desire to finish the season with some pride. 4-2 Flames...the Oilers who show up are those who have played for Nelson with the OKC Barons at some point this year (Lander, Klefbom, etc...)

[Moneyhands23]

I feel like this game will put me a little closer to a pube dinner!

[StrykerSteve]

C'mon Wotherspoon and Bennett

[Steveyoto]

I am excite. I know this is cliche, but this is a make or break game.... well mainly a break game. GFG

[EldrickOnIce]

Is Ramo confirmed as starting?

[RedMileDJ]

nm

[sureLoss]

Nothing has been confirmed in terms of lines and who is playing.

Probably won't know anything until the morning skate

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Is Ramo confirmed as starting?

Not anywhere i've seen or read but i cannot imagine Hartely not starting Ramo after the last 3 starts by Hiller....he tends to change after a loss as well.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Nothing has been confirmed in terms of lines and who is playing.

Probably won't know anything until the morning skate

When is that?