[OOT] April 4 with a dozen games!

[browna]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think the Dallas thing is overblown...they won a 3 on 3 game on a goal that shouldn't have counted and the other two the Flames were not at their best.

I mean the Flames lost to LA a couple weeks back but I wouldn't worry about them in the playoffs with all things being equal (rest, motivation, ect.)

Yeah I know they have lost a bunch in a row but I don't even consider past seasons records its a different team. I would still prefer the Avs but really, if the Flames can't beat Dallas they aren't winning the cup.

With the fast paced agressive style, and consistency of playing that style, that the Flames have exhibited to win the conference, and the ability for Peters to make subtle in game adjustments, never mind game to game, I just can’t forsee the Stars, for example, beating the Flames 4 times out of 7 in the same manner they did last week.

[I_H8_Crawford]

By winning the conference, the Flames will be facing the weakest team in the playoffs.

If they lose in the first round, it will be a choke/paper tiger thing for them.

Stars or Avs, Flames /SHOULD/ win

[ThaBrink]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

By winning the conference, the Flames will be facing the weakest team in the playoffs.

If they lose in the first round, it will be a choke/paper tiger thing for them.

Stars or Avs, Flames /SHOULD/ win

That's not how it works. They're facing the last team to make it into the playoffs. Avs are playing better than a lot of the central right now.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by ThaBrink

That's not how it works. They're facing the last team to make it into the playoffs. Avs are playing better than a lot of the central right now.

It is how it works, they squeaked into the playoffs, just because they were hot the last few months doesn't make this fact untrue. The Flames have been better all season, not just hot for a few months.

Good thing we aren't in the central and are the top team in the conference after the regular season. I still take the Avs over St. Louis, Nashville and Winnipeg.

[camm13]

On paper, yes AVs and Stars are in wild card positions. They won less, and loss more than the Flames did versus the rest of the league. What you have to look at is how both the teams are matched up against EACH other. All other stats are irrelevant come start of playoffs. The Stars swept the Flames this year, and the Flames swept the Avs. I would rather face the Avs due to suspect goaltending, and them only having a one line weapon then the Stars, where Bishop alone could win them the series. It's like how no one wants to face Vegas cause they have Fleury.

[djsFlames]

If the peg ends up second seed, the flames are in a way better position to get through the opening round than the rest of the Canadian teams.

[jessnuts]

First round in the east currently has potential to be an all time great round
- Been thinking for a while that Columbus is the only team around that 8 spot in the east that have the pieces to get hot and maybe put up a fight for a couple games against Tampa.
- a couple days ago, started paying attention to the fact that if Carolina can pass the penguins that gives us a caps v pens series, but also a series between NYI and Carolina, which is just a feel good story no matter who wins
- leafs bruins has many obvious enjoyable story lines

In the west, if St. Louis can pull of the division win, you can’t help but like that story. If that happens it gives us a rematch of a great round last year between two heavy teams (who are both struggling) in Nashville and Winnipeg. Sharks v Vegas should be good, and should be exhausting for whoever wins (good for the flames). I was really hoping for the flames to get Arizona (which would have been a feel good story for the coyotes), but that series was going to be great no matter what, as it features Calgary.

Anyway, the point of my wall of text is that this years first round should be fantastic.

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by Yoho

I can see Dallas wanting to take their chances with Nashville or Winnipeg over Calgary.

The Stars may want to take their chances with the Blues.

[Tsawwassen]

Originally Posted by jessnuts

First round in the east currently has potential to be an all time great round
- Been thinking for a while that Columbus is the only team around that 8 spot in the east that have the pieces to get hot and maybe put up a fight for a couple games against Tampa.
- a couple days ago, started paying attention to the fact that if Carolina can pass the penguins that gives us a caps v pens series, but also a series between NYI and Carolina, which is just a feel good story no matter who wins
- leafs bruins has many obvious enjoyable story lines

In the west, if St. Louis can pull of the division win, you can’t help but like that story. If that happens it gives us a rematch of a great round last year between two heavy teams (who are both struggling) in Nashville and Winnipeg. Sharks v Vegas should be good, and should be exhausting for whoever wins (good for the flames). I was really hoping for the flames to get Arizona (which would have been a feel good story for the coyotes), but that series was going to be great no matter what, as it features Calgary.

Anyway, the point of my wall of text is that this years first round should be fantastic.

Speaking of a rematch, I am hoping that the BJs pass the Hurricanes so it'll be the BJs and Capitals like last year. Columbus would want to seek revenge. That would mean the Islanders and Penguins going at it for the first time in 6 years and that would be a good series.

[Tsawwassen]

Final scores
https://scores.nbcsports.com/nhl/sco...p?day=20190404
http://sportsstats.cbc.ca/news/NHL-R...ate=04-04-2019

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think the Dallas thing is overblown...they won a 3 on 3 game on a goal that shouldn't have counted and the other two the Flames were not at their best.

I mean the Flames lost to LA a couple weeks back but I wouldn't worry about them in the playoffs with all things being equal (rest, motivation, ect.)

Yeah I know they have lost a bunch in a row but I don't even consider past seasons records its a different team. I would still prefer the Avs but really, if the Flames can't beat Dallas they aren't winning the cup.

Disagree. Stars have owned the Flames for a few seasons now and they have the best goaltending in the conference. It's a terrible match-up for the Flames.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Disagree. Stars have owned the Flames for a few seasons now and they have the best goaltending in the conference. It's a terrible match-up for the Flames.

Once the playoffs start these past records just don’t really matter anymore. The Flames are the best team in the West. They can and should beat anyone they face.


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[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Once the playoffs start these past records just don’t really matter anymore. The Flames are the best team in the West. They can and should beat anyone they face.


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That's what everyone said the last 2 times the Flames made the playoffs and faced the Ducks. And those series went exactly the way that the season series predicted they would

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

That's what everyone said the last 2 times the Flames made the playoffs and faced the Ducks. And those series went exactly the way that the season series predicted they would

Or all those years the Capitals got bounced by the Penguins. Sometimes winning the cup comes down to having a path to the final devoid of bad match-ups as you can argue the Capitals would have another Stanley Cup or two had they not had to face the Penguins so many times in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

I generally think Dallas and the Blues are the most dangerous teams going into the playoffs as they are both getting the best goaltending of all the teams in the west. Flames not having to face either of those teams would greatly enhance their chances of going far in the playoffs.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

That's what everyone said the last 2 times the Flames made the playoffs and faced the Ducks. And those series went exactly the way that the season series predicted they would

The Ducks beat the Flames in 2015 and 2017 because they were far and away the better team, not because they won the season series. The Flames can beat anyone.


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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Or all those years the Capitals got bounced by the Penguins. Sometimes winning the cup comes down to having a path to the final devoid of bad match-ups as you can argue the Capitals would have another Stanley Cup or two had they not had to face the Penguins so many times in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

In their back-to-back Cup wins the Penguins lost the season series with the Capitals in 2016 and 2017. Again, it is fairly meaningless once the playoffs begin.

I generally think Dallas and the Blues are the most dangerous teams going into the playoffs as they are both getting the best goaltending of all the teams in the west. Flames not having to face either of those teams would greatly enhance their chances of going far in the playoffs.

I agree, but by the same token there is no team in the Conference that the Flames should not be able to beat in seven games.

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[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

That's what everyone said the last 2 times the Flames made the playoffs and faced the Ducks. And those series went exactly the way that the season series predicted they would

Why even bother playing?

[Roof-Daddy]

What the Flames "should" do means nothing to me. They still have to go out and actually do it.

The Flames "should" have beaten LA in 1990.
The Flames "should" have beaten Van in 1994.
The Flames "should" have beaten SJ in 1995.

I've seen a lot of really good Flames teams choke hard. Way too many for me to be over confident that they won't blow it this time.

[Tsawwassen]

No points for Ovechkin, but, I have a feeling he got a bit of revenge on the Habs by putting them on the brink. He remembers being eliminated by the Habs back in 2010 in game 7. Holtby with 33 saves and Price made 29 saves in the loss. Dowd scored the GWG in the 2nd period and the Caps clinch 1st place in the Metro Division.

The Penguins split the home-away series with the Red Wings as they beat Detroit 4-1 and clinch a playoff spot. Crosby and Kessel each had 3 points and Murray was great in goal making 33 saves.

Those bunch of jerks are in the playoffs. The Hurricanes beat the Devils 3-1. I liked Mrazek's post game interview and how excited he was. Mrazek was the star of the game as he stopped 36 shots. The Devils outplayed the Hurricanes out shooting Carolina 16-8.

The Flyers-Blues game was nuts in the 1st period, the score was 5-3 for the Blues. The Blues went on to win 7-3. Steen and Piertrangelo each had 3 points.

The Avs desperately hung on in late in reg time as the Jets were on a PP trying to win it. You could see how tired the Avs in that PK and then the crowd's excitement when the period came to an end knowing the Avs clinched a playoff spot. I liked how when Eric Johnson scored the GWG in OT, you could read his lips, "we're in the playoffs!"

The Predators squeaked out the win with 2 goals late in the 3rd period. Bonino scored the GTG and then Johansen scored the winner with 21 seconds left in reg time. The Central Division is still up in the air.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

What the Flames "should" do means nothing to me. They still have to go out and actually do it.

The Flames "should" have beaten LA in 1990.
The Flames "should" have beaten Van in 1994.
The Flames "should" have beaten SJ in 1995.

I've seen a lot of really good Flames teams choke hard. Way too many for me to be over confident that they won't blow it this time.

Don't forget Anaheim in '06. Prior to this year that was the most successful Flames regular season of the last 2 decades, and they cap it off with one of the worst game 7 performances of all time. I'm putting very little stock in a long playoff run this year until they actually prove something