[News] WCQF: Your Calgary Flames (P1) vs Colorado Avalanche (WC2) — AVALANCHE WIN SERIES 4-1

[Mony]

Flames in 7. Staple the 3M line/Giordano to the Nathan/Gabriel/Mikko line.

[Toonage]

Is Rantanen even playing this round?

Nm I see at the start of this thread he is in a non conatct jersey

[transplant99]

Only Tampa are bigger faves than the Flames to open things up.

https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/odds

[Murph]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Ummm...8PM starts have been going on for years on Saturday nights. Every single one during the season. Sure its an hour later for weeknights, but thats been the norm for years too when a double header is on the slate. We had a couple of them this year with Calgary being the late game.

And your solution for a national double header is to have it start at 3 PM Pacific and 4 PM Mountain from out East? So that they essentially cut out a 1/4 of the country from seeing the early game or most of it?

Makes zero business sense.

I mean....isn't this pretty much standard fare the last many years?

I don’t think he’s saying that at all. I think he’s saying the game could start at 7 or 7:30 Mountain and have the games overlap, that’s all. I’d be interested to see how much it would hurt the ratings.

[tvp2003]

I feel like there needs to be a chant or two this series. Grubauer has sucked in the playoffs (career numbers are 1-1 with a 4.24 GAA and .835 SV% in four games) so I'm sure we'll hear Groooo-bauer early and often.

How about "Do your job"?

[Yobbo]

Originally Posted by Mony

Flames in 7. Staple the 3M line/Giordano to the Nathan/Gabriel/Mikko line.

I sure hope it doesn't go 7 games. Least games played the better as they're likely the least physical team we could have paired with.

[GullFoss]

Whose the starting goalie?

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Whose the starting goalie?

Don't expect an answer to that until maybe Wednesday at the earliest.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by GullFoss

Whose the starting goalie?

For the Flames? Smith.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Don't expect an answer to that until maybe Wednesday at the earliest.

I can tell you right now...its Smith

[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I can tell you right now...its Smith

I'm happy with Smith or Rittich both to me are on the same level Smith just has experience I'm glad we arent the G.Knights and are stuck with Subban

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[kukkudo]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

I'm happy with Smith or Rittich both to me are on the same level Smith just has experience I'm glad we arent the G.Knights and are stuck with Subban

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MAF has been playing the last two games.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I can tell you right now...its Smith

Most likely it will be but Peters won't confirm anything for atleast a few days.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Most likely it will be but Peters won't confirm anything for atleast a few days.

I guess but barring injury Smith is playing game one

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by camm13

It's not even Benn and Seguin, it's their goaltending that has the team beat. We were massively outscored by them this year. The last game, the top two guys didn't even score and we got beat. Flames need to stop making pretty plays and funnel everything to the net and crash it. Guys like Benett are gonna be huge come playoffs.

2 one goal losses
1 two goal loss

[Gaskal]

Narrative with the assistance of NHL 19 Playoff Mode Sim:

In true expected fashion of them, Calgary takes the first game decisively 4-1. Go up 2-0 after 1 (with Elias Lindholm scoring the opening goal just like in the home opener, bless his Swedish heart), let 1 in on an odd man rush after a flub in the 2nd, then score an insurance marker in the 3rd and another into the EN to seal it.

The second game ends up being way tighter, looking to head to overtime with no score as the Flames pepper Grubauer with shots all night. But in a truly dramatic fashion, the first line gets sent out after a bad Avs icing with under a minute to go in the 3rd and Elias "I'm a mother####ing stud" Lindholm scores with 21 seconds left on the clock to win the game and to give Smitty the SO and the Flames a 2-0 series lead.

The third game starts badly with the Avalanche getting an early goal. Then it becomes all tight checking and neither team seems to be able to get anything going past the neutral zone. Grubauer is the deciding factor in this one as the game lasts this way despite some grade A chances all night, with the Avs taking it by 2-0 after scoring into the EN. Several thousand voodoo dolls of Grubauer are made and stabbed violently over the next 48 hours.

Voodoo dolls and black magic seems to have worked for the fourth game, with the Flames going up 2-1 early after the 1st period and end up playing a tight disciplined game close it out 3-1, after holding the Avs to just 4 shots in the 2nd and weathering the storm in the 3rd to send the Flames back to Calgary with a chance to close out the series at home.

You'd think our guys have saved our finest games and efforts for a game like this. A chance to win the series at home. Pretty hype, right? Well apparently the boys don't think so as nobody outside of Smith seems to have showed up to the Dome that evening, somehow putting together the worst playoff game collectively played by a Flames team since that 3-0 Game 7 loss against Anaheim just over a decade back. Tonight the Flames fare similarly, getting shut out 2-0 and sending the series back to Denver with the C of Red in full panic mode.

The Flames collectively show up and play Game 6 in Denver in the way we were all hoping them to play Game 5. They shoot out to an early lead and lead 2-1 after the 1st, Smith holding the fort against the MacKinnon line and the Flames scoring some insurance and ENs to win the game 5-1. Entire fanbase asks "well, where the #### was this team two nights ago?".

Grumpiest the fanbase has ever been over a series win. But Flames in 6.

[Patek23]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Narrative with the assistance of NHL 19 Playoff Mode Sim:

In true expected fashion of them, Calgary takes the first game decisively 4-1. Go up 2-0 after 1 (with Elias Lindholm scoring the opening goal just like in the home opener, bless his Swedish heart), let 1 in on an odd man rush after a flub in the 2nd, then score an insurance marker in the 3rd and another into the EN to seal it.

The second game ends up being way tighter, looking to head to overtime with no score as the Flames pepper Grubauer with shots all night. But in a truly dramatic fashion, the first line gets sent out after a bad Avs icing with under a minute to go in the 3rd and Elias "I'm a mother####ing stud" Lindholm scores with 21 seconds left on the clock to win the game and to give Smitty the SO and the Flames a 2-0 series lead.

The third game starts badly with the Avalanche getting an early goal. Then it becomes all tight checking and neither team seems to be able to get anything going past the neutral zone. Grubauer is the deciding factor in this one as the game lasts this way despite some grade A chances all night, with the Avs taking it by 2-0 after scoring into the EN. Several thousand voodoo dolls of Grubauer are made and stabbed violently over the next 48 hours.

Voodoo dolls and black magic seems to have worked for the fourth game, with the Flames going up 2-1 early after the 1st period and end up playing a tight disciplined game close it out 3-1, after holding the Avs to just 4 shots in the 2nd and weathering the storm in the 3rd to send the Flames back to Calgary with a chance to close out the series at home.

You'd think our guys have saved our finest games and efforts for a game like this. A chance to win the series at home. Pretty hype, right? Well apparently the boys don't think so as nobody outside of Smith seems to have showed up to the Dome that evening, somehow putting together the worst playoff game collectively played by a Flames team since that 3-0 Game 7 loss against Anaheim just over a decade back. Tonight the Flames fare similarly, getting shut out 2-0 and sending the series back to Denver with the C of Red in full panic mode.

The Flames collectively show up and play Game 6 in Denver in the way we were all hoping them to play Game 5. They shoot out to an early lead and lead 2-1 after the 1st, Smith holding the fort against the MacKinnon line and the Flames scoring some insurance and ENs to win the game 5-1. Entire fanbase asks "well, where the #### was this team two nights ago?".

Grumpiest the fanbase has ever been over a series win. But Flames in 6.

That’s very Flames. It’s extremely plausible.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Only Tampa are bigger faves than the Flames to open things up.

https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/odds

And yet almost all the talking heads have Calgary going out in the first or second round...

[iamca]

Here are some observations as well as some paranoia:

Avs have been playing desperate hockey since late February and I think their mindset is still in this mode.

Conversely, Calgary comes in resting players since they clinched against the Sharks and the losing to the Ducks and Oil in ugly, albeit meaningless games, other than gaining some momentum.

Grubauer has been standing on his head and could be a difference maker.

Smith scares me and really has Peters committed to playing him, when Rittich is a better choice as a starter for several reasons including he's just better suited to beat the Avs. Positioning is stronger, doesn't need to over play the puck as the Avs typically carry the puck and are not a dump and chase team.

Calgary's power play is ice cold and special teams are huge come playoffs.

I will be at Game 3 in the lower bowl. We have a chance of acquiring some rinkside seats for a decent price.

Calgary needs to get the power play going and start Rittich...

If those two things happen, Calgary takes it in 5 games. If not, it could be an early and regrettable exit.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by iamca

Here are some observations as well as some paranoia:

Avs have been playing desperate hockey since late February and I think their mindset is still in this mode.

Conversely, Calgary comes in resting players since they clinched against the Sharks and the losing to the Ducks and Oil in ugly, albeit meaningless games, other than gaining some momentum.

Grubauer has been standing on his head and could be a difference maker.

Smith scares me and really has Peters committed to playing him, when Rittich is a better choice as a starter for several reasons including he's just better suited to beat the Avs. Positioning is stronger, doesn't need to over play the puck as the Avs typically carry the puck and are not a dump and chase team.

Calgary's power play is ice cold and special teams are huge come playoffs.

I will be at Game 3 in the lower bowl. We have a chance of acquiring some rinkside seats for a decent price.

Calgary needs to get the power play going and start Rittich...

If those two things happen, Calgary takes it in 5 games. If not, it could be an early and regrettable exit.

I share similar worries about Smith but we are just going to have to trust Peters on this one. Peters obviously likes having a puck moving goalie and Smith has legit experience in coming up big in the playoffs. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Smith since the all star break but you can’t forget his earlier play in the season. It’s a hard decision and there are good arguments to go with either goalie. I will not fault the flames if they go with Smith no matter the result. He’s played well enough down the stretch to be considered the playoff starter, which is hard to believe given how bad he was in the beginning. I expect the defence to play well enough that just average goaltending will suffice and both goalies are capable of that.

If the flames get above average goaltending I think this is a sweep.

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