[PGT] Avalanche 5 - Flames 1 | Season Over

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Barca

Derek Wills said he shed a tear

Came close for a moment at the end watching them skate up to Smith and offer words, paired with the crowd chant.

This should've been a redemption story for Smith. Winning in front of that quality of goaltending should've been easy for this team playing at its best. They just weren't.

We all wish we had more control over things externally, but the game sometimes takes on a life of its own and you have to have confidence, perseverance, and a portion of luck to win too.

You know they wanted it, but physically they weren't doing the things that would've been successful. Bobbled pucks, missed passes, split second decisions going wrong. It's hard for everyone.

I think a kind of ####y thing about us around here is our tendency to need somewhere to place blame when things don't work out. To the point where we don't treat these guys like people, when they are every bit as much as you or I.

Sometimes things just don't work out. Actually most of the time they don't. 30/31 fanbases go home unhappy, ultimately. We get so optimistic when the odds are against us right out the gate. Reeling in expectations just a bit and coming to enjoy the ride and enjoy things when they go right is important. This is all supposed to be fun and we take it so seriously that we suck the fun right out of it.

It's hard but also important not to. When you keep things in perspective it's a game, and this is entertainment. Meant to be a reprieve and a nice distraction from the daily rigors of life. We got 50 nights of ATLs and "special" new reports. The fun in enjoying each one of those counts for something.

And maybe one day this is will be seen as a necessary stepping stone for the team on the way to winning on their 3rd or 4th kick at the can in this "window". How do you know what you're up against until you face it head on..

Now they know.

[Manhattanboy]

Just so disappointing after the season we had and all those individual and team stats.

Thought for sure we would have had some playoff highlights and memories this year.

Sports is a cruel business.

[djsFlames]

This didn't suck:

[Spinach]

I don't demand championship seasons all the time and am not turning in my fan card, but it isn't unreasonable to think making round 2 or 3 every now and then is doable, is it?

This organization's early exits since '89 are baffling. I guess teams like the Coyotes/Jets, Minny, the Isles and Florida are kind of similar, and maybe that's just the way the cookie crumbles. And how bad the Flames have been in postseason OT since '89 just defies all reason.

First-round-itis and OT Phobia are serious conditions. What gives? Are they treatable? Note to self: delve into how many teams have such terrible records in OT and/or round 1, and how or if it was cured.

[trieu8]

No one can stop playoff benzo

[Barnet Flame]

I attended my first ever playoff game in game 1.

I was there with my son. It was amazing. An experience I said I would never forget...and I won’t.

Eight days later, I feel crushed.

Beyond that, I think I’ll leave commenting on this for another day.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

This is what it feels to be the Capitals pre-2018. I'd like to have the same ending to that story here.

No, the Caps couldn't figure out how to beat 1 team in the playoffs. The sad sack Flames don't know how to beat anyone in the playoffs.

[SportsJunky]

It’s sports. Someone has to lose. My problem is more about how they lost. I really didn’t think the Avs could outplay Calgary by such a large margin.

[EldrickOnIce]

I wish the NHL would put out a video comparing last night's goals that went to review and explain why one is good and one is not.
I can never figure this out

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

The Flames had a good regular season that was highlighted by beating up on the weaker teams in the league. There were some statistics that I saw which showed their record vs playoff teams and non playoff teams, they were only around a 500 club versus the playoff clubs. My concern is that the Flames record was boeyed by being in an awful division and being able to beat up on some of the worst clubs in the league (four of the worst nine clubs were in the Pacific division).

Tkachuk can still grow, Monahan is a very good center, and Gaudreau is an elite talent. They just don't have much grit in their top six. Not even big bodies that will hit the opposition, but the players with the will to battle through checks and who find a way to elevate their game.

[Matata]

Days like today are why God invented huffing glue

[Locke]

Last time we got bounced in 4....this time we made it 5!

Baby steps....baby steps....

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I wish the NHL would put out a video comparing last night's goals that went to review and explain why one is good and one is not.
I can never figure this out

Neither can I.
One of the explanations for why the reviewers allowed the Toronto goal was the incidental contact probably slowed Rask’s response, but he was so far to the right of the net that he wasn’t going to be able to get over to the other side of the net in time.

But by using the same reasoning, it looked to me like Grubauer was expecting Gaudreau to go around the net to the other side and was starting to move in that direction, so without the interference he would have left the short side even more open for a goal.

[Azure]

Lots of weak plays, weak leadership, weak everything.

The team struggled down the stretch and couldn't figure it out after dominating in Dec / Jan. Can't go into the playoffs like that.

Young core, one that obviously still needs to learn a lot.

[Tron_fdc]

Shades of the 90's.

This heartbroken feeling is familiar.

[Badgers Nose]

McKinnon learned a lot about beast mode from Iggy and Crosby, it showed.

[Igottago]

Maybe the most disappointing playoffs I've ever experienced as a fan, and I've seen them all since the late 80's. It's one thing to lose, but to go from such an amazing regular season to getting absolutely steamrolled by the 8th seed in 5 games, and looking terrible doing it, just defies all logic. If largely the same core comes back next year theres no way they are battling for top of the conference again. I don't see any way this doesn't do lasting damage to the collective confidence of this core. Not time to burn it down, but certainly some significant changes are needed.

[redforever]

Many here are too young to know or remember.....

but the first year the Flames went to the Cup final against Montreal in 85/86 season, we won the first at home and then lost the next 4.

Took 3 more years to get there again and then succeed...and even then, the first round against Vancouver was brutal.

Just putting things in perspective.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by redforever

Many here are too young to know or remember.....

but the first year the Flames went to the Cup final against Montreal in 85/86 season, we won the first at home and then lost the next 4.

Took 3 more years to get there again and then succeed...and even then, the first round against Vancouver was brutal.

Just putting things in perspective.

So its gonna take 3 years for this team just to figure out how to get out of the first round? Not even a close comparison.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by redforever

Many here are too young to know or remember.....

but the first year the Flames went to the Cup final against Montreal in 85/86 season, we won the first at home and then lost the next 4.

Took 3 more years to get there again and then succeed...and even then, the first round against Vancouver was brutal.

Just putting things in perspective.

If I go back through your posts from 04, am I going to see the Flames will win the cup in 2007?
Because they made the final in 86, won in 89 & therefore will win 3 years after losing in the final

I don't think creating random patterns is how sports are won.