[PST] Playoff Series Thread: Ducks (1st Pacific) vs Flames (1st Wild Card)

[300 MPH Blues]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

GOOD NEWS!!!! As Per SNET Press Release

Anaheim Ducks (P1) vs. Calgary Flames (WC1)
Play-by-play: Rick Ball; Game Analyst: John Garrett; Reporter: Roger Millions

Cheech will be fine. He'll wax poetic about subway ham sandwiches, and applying ketchup to everything.

[Toonage]

Yep, can't wait to hear his love for every Safeway score &win product. Assuming they do that in the playoffs.

[malcolmk14]

I'll be making some roasted duck on Thursday night for dinner.

[Benched]

I'm wildly optimistic that we take down the Ducks.


Flames in 6

[Travis Munroe]

I really believe the difference maker in this series is going to be the PP.
If we play our game and are unable to take advantage of the PP then guys will become frustrated and fall into the ducks game. Scoring on the PP will keep the flames from retaliating and out of the box which leads to much better odds of winning.

[troutman]

Assuming the Ducks win one in Calgary, the Flames have to win two in Anaheim. Tough to do. Have to steal an O/T win.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by David Struch

The Flames have improved a lot since our last playoff battle vs the Ducks:

Jiri Hudler < Matthew Tkachuk
David Jones < Michael Frolik
Joe Colborne < Kris Versteeg
Josh Jooris < Troy Brouwer
Mason Raymond < Alex Chiasson
Brandon Bollig < Lance Bouma

Dennis Wideman < Mark Giordano
Kris Russell < Dougie Hamilton
David Schlemko < Michael Stone
Tyler Wotherspoon & Raphael Diaz < Matt Bartkowski

Karri Ramo & Jonas Hiller < Brian Elliott

I like this but I'd do it more by lines.

The top line has Ferland for Hudler. Hudler was a solid player but had a heck of a time in the playoffs. Ferland amps up and now has teammates to play with.

The second line isn't even close with 3M squashing that Bouma/Backlund/Colborne? line from two years ago.

The rest becomes filler though I like Bennett as a wild card and I think Versteeg is an interesting piece.

On the blueline it's not even close.

Neither Giordano or Hamilton were here.
Brodie is on the second pairing with a better partner
Engelland is demoted which has to make the third pairing better

In goal huge upgrade.

Great idea though! Can't argue it's a better team. How the hell did they beat Vancouver?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by 300 MPH Blues

Cheech will be fine. He'll wax poetic about subway ham sandwiches, and applying ketchup to everything.

When Garrett did colour commentary on the Flames broadcast regularly it was always fun when the Safeway product of the day or whatever was shown on screen. He'd sum up beautifully how tasty each product was, how he cooked it, what it went well with. All the while PbP man Millions drooled mmmm'inlgy in the background.

[FanIn80]

Paging Michael Ferkland. Michael Ferkland, to the playoffs please. Michael Ferkland, to the playoffs.

[Da_Chief]

It has been mentioned above, Flames have to play physical but within the whistle, walk away from scrums, beat them with your speed.

Don't need to fight unless they do something stupid and run a start player.

[jeffman]

I hope that the ducks think the series is theirs due to the honda centre curse and the flames take them by complete surprise..... from behind

[TheIronMaiden]

Scoring depth:
The Flames have 12 players with 10 or more goals
The Ducks have 9 players with 10 or more goals

The Flames have 9 players with 20 or more assists
The Ducks have 6 players with 20 or more assists (and 2 with 19)

Team scoring:
The Flames have 222 goals for this season at a 2.71 GF/Per game average
The Ducks have 220 goals for this season at a 2.68 GF/Per game average


Seems like the Flames have a slight, almost negligible edge in scoring, that said:

The Flames have 219 goals against at a 2.67 per game average
The Ducks have 197 goals against at a 2.40 per game average

At face value this is going to be a close series.

RE:
Here is a look at the match up this season from the Flames perspective.

W-L-T GFPG GAPG
1-4-0 2.8 3.4

[The Professor]

I wonder if Lazaro will get into the opening game/series. Also, does anyone know the injury status of the Ducks D?

Edit: Ha. Autocorrect Lazaro. But I like it.

[Darkknight]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Scoring depth:
The Flames have 12 players with 10 or more goals
The Ducks have 9 players with 10 or more goals

The Flames have 9 players with 20 or more assists
The Ducks have 6 players with 20 or more assists (and 2 with 19)

Team scoring:
The Flames have 222 goals for this season at a 2.71 GF/Per game average
The Ducks have 220 goals for this season at a 2.68 GF/Per game average


Seems like the Flames have a slight, almost negligible edge in scoring, that said:

The Flames have 219 goals against at a 2.67 per game average
The Ducks have 197 goals against at a 2.40 per game average

At face value this is going to be a close series.

RE:
Here is a look at the match up this season from the Flames perspective.

W-L-T GFPG GAPG
1-4-0 2.8 3.4

The thing that worries me about those stats you linked is that the games are higher scoring that both teams average over the season. To me this means the teams are playing out of their system and structure which is exactly what made the Flames successful this year. The key to this series is playing within the system, let the Ducks try to play our game. Our speed should be able to dictate the play easier than them running around hitting people and after whistle nonsense.

[lazypucker]

I hope for a Flames series win just like all of us here, but you have to factor in the Honda Center curse. Even if the Flames can steal a game on the road, it will be a super tough task to win all 3 games at the Dome. So it will be a miracle for the Flames to get through.

[Flamenspiel]

Flames in 6.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I hope for a Flames series win just like all of us here, but you have to factor in the Honda Center curse. Even if the Flames can steal a game on the road, it will be a super tough task to win all 3 games at the Dome. So it will be a miracle for the Flames to get through.

This is hogwash. Ducks have 1 more win than the Flames this season, and the Flames basically handed 4 wins to the Oilers.

It'll be a miracle if the Leafs get past the Caps. That is truly a lopsided series (or should be).

[Cactus Jack]

Bouma out and Lazar or Hathaway in please

[polak]

I woke up with an overwhelmingly positive vibe.

I'm thinking the Flames from the streak will show up in this round and they will win it in 6. Yeah I said it.

If the Flames from the last two weeks show up at least I'll save some money.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

What's 4 point games mean? It's even more important than 3?

4 point games are in-division games or games against western opponents you are competing against for the playoffs. The Flames win combined with the western opponent loss means you gain 4 points on that team in the standings