[PST] Quarter Finals: Colorado Avalanche vs. Golden Knights--Las Vegas wins the series 4-2

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

He doesn't look the same to me, I suspect he has an injury.

Ah that old excuse, the only way a players performance can decrease is if he's hurt.
Hate that that is the go to, players can get shutdown, or just have times when they aren't playing well.
Not saying he isn't hurt but a lot players play with injuries in the playoffs

[dino7c]

Just the way she goes...AVS were a post away from a 3-0 series lead. I think it goes 7, hope it does.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

No, in fact the dome ice is good compared to most rinks. People on here just like to hate on everything Flames.

CP says the ice is terrible...players who are actually on the ice think it's good.

What the heck does criticizing arena ice have to do with hating on the Flames?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It always looks bad to me. Bouncing pucks, passes that slow way too much, etc. For both teams.

Okay, I'm gonna go with the players poll over how it looks to you.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What the heck does criticizing arena ice have to do with hating on the Flames?

"Everything Flames" including their arena. Players poll recently said the ice was top 5. People have been going on about the bad dome ice on here for years. Maybe it's just that we watch all the games. Seems like confirmation bias when the players on the ice (including the opposition) think it's one of the best.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Okay, I'm gonna go with the players poll over how it looks to you.

Fair enough, I can't compare it to a lot of other arenas, since I don't see them all. Maybe I just think it should be better.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by dino7c

"Everything Flames" including their arena. Players poll recently said the ice was top 5. People have been going on about the bad dome ice on here for years. Maybe it's just that we watch all the games. Seems like confirmation bias when the players on the ice (including the opposition) think it's one of the best.

Just because something is top 5 out of 30ish doesn't mean it's good

NHL has an ice quality problem overall. Big crowds bring in a lot of heat and humidity, and all the other events at those venues always take a toll on the ice. Arenas which are shared with a different sport tend to have the worst ice, because covering the ice is bad for ice quality.

Let's also just be real: the arenas are built to extract money from people in the stands. Ice quality is not actually a high priority.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...e-big-question

I think this was a fairly informotive quote:

Brooks Orpik, D, Washington Capitals: "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a place that has good ice. I think Pittsburgh actually has good ice, after years of Sidney [Crosby] going over ... it started with all of us bitching about it. It finally got to the point where Sid would go every day and constructively sit down with the guys who ran the rink and tell them exactly what he felt was wrong with it. It was good dialogue between them, and the ice started getting better and better. That's the one place I think is consistently pretty good.

I mean, how awesome is Crosby, but also, clearly the ice quality is not the highest priority, when the people in charge of creating the ice are of the caliber that they need a hockey player to explain to them what good ice is like.

Here's another article about it, for those who are interested:

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/why-t...e-with-bad-ice

[GioforPM]

^^ Maybe this is what I'm getting at - I see other arenas generally once a year and then only on TV for the most part. Maybe I just have high expectations for Calgary, especially this year when no other events occurred in the Dome.

Vegas is really quite remarkable when you consider the number of concerts, fights, rodeos, etc. But i suppose if any place knows how to cool off indoor facilities, it's Vegas. I'm curious how their clear dome will work for football.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Itse

Just because something is top 5 out of 30ish doesn't mean it's good

NHL has an ice quality problem overall. Big crowds bring in a lot of heat and humidity, and all the other events at those venues always take a toll on the ice. Arenas which are shared with a different sport tend to have the worst ice, because covering the ice is bad for ice quality.

Let's also just be real: the arenas are built to extract money from people in the stands. Ice quality is not actually a high priority.

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...e-big-question

I think this was a fairly informotive quote:



I mean, how awesome is Crosby, but also, clearly the ice quality is not the highest priority, when the people in charge of creating the ice are of the caliber that they need a hockey player to explain to them what good ice is like.

Here's another article about it, for those who are interested:

Sure, but there is no point in going on and on about how bad the dome ice is when its still one of the best in the NHL. Of all Flames things to complain about its way down on the list IMO.

What else are the Flames top 5-10 in? If the Flames can't make a pass its not the Ice's fault

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by getbak

I think it still does well in the players poll they put out every year.

In 2017-18, it was tied with Minnesota for 4th-best ice in the league: https://nhlpa.com/player-poll/2017-18

The last two seasons (doesn't look like they did one this year), T-Mobile has moved into the top-5, but I'd guess the Saddledome is still pretty high since the rest of the top arenas are the same as 2017-18.

Hmm interesting. I always felt pucks bounce more at the dome than compared to other rinks.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Itse

I mean, how awesome is Crosby, but also, clearly the ice quality is not the highest priority, when the people in charge of creating the ice are of the caliber that they need a hockey player to explain to them what good ice is like.

This view is a disservice to the professionals that maintain the ice.

I am sure Crosby was a good source of feedback to advise how some of their adjustments improved conditions, or did not. There is really quite a lot that goes in to it, maintaining the ice isn’t a trivial undertaking

There is a video here

https://nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.js...id=72037&from=

And an article here. I’ve pulled an excerpt that talks a bit about building up the initial sheet

Afterwards, maintaining it involves trying to maintain ideal temperatures and humidity in the building, plus the conditions of the slab, brine, ice surface, chemistry and temperature of the water added during resurfacing, ensuring the two Zambonis are calibrated to operate at identical conditions, etc. etc.

https://www.wired.com/2012/06/hockey-ice/

Outside the Prudential Center in downtown Newark, less than 24 hours before Game 1, heat shimmered over the sidewalks and humidity draped like a wet towel. Inside, the arena was a nippy 50 degrees and the mirror-clear ice a frigid 20 degrees. Its clarity reflected its purity. The water used to create it passes through a truck-sized, eight-filter reverse osmosis system to remove excess oxygen and trace minerals, two enemies of ideal consistency.

Oxygen is what gives an ice cube its cloudy core. Too much of it softens ice, making skate blades sink and founder. It’s the same story with minerals -- total displaced solids, in technician argot. Too much softens the ice, but too little hardens it, making traction difficult. Kryshak will sometimes add baking soda until the balance is right.

When the water is purified and primed, it's sprayed onto a concrete slab that rests on a labyrinth of pipes 9 miles long. Chilled salt water, which has a lower freezing point than fresh water, flows through the pipes, cooling the slab to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s cold enough to flash-freeze a layer of water precisely measured at 1/32 of an inch thick. Speed is essential.
"The more time you allow water to sit and freeze, the dirtier it gets," Kryshak said.

Much like plywood, layers of ice create strength and density. The first layer is called a bond, and it is painted bright white. Lines and logos are all placed in the first eighth of an inch.

Kryshak isn't yet using the Zamboni, hockey's iconic icemaking vehicle, but walks back and forth with a spray wand and water tank for eight hours. Only when the ice is a half-inch thick do the Zambonis come out, depositing more 1/32" layers and scraping uneven patches level.

All told, Kryshak and his crew will spend four days laying down a sheet 1 inch thick, using sonar depth guns to ensure consistency across its surface

[KootenayFlamesFan]

No idea how Rantanen doesn't score there. Great action.

[Nsd1]

Suspect call on Rantanen for kicking the stick away.

[DoubleK]

This series is fantastic

[GioforPM]

Yikes - what a whiff by MAF

[MrMike]

Hahaha

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Fleury with the rare blunder. Gotta stop that.

[Boblobla]

Wow Flower. Not good.

[Tbull8]

Anyone notice that Saad's blue helmet is a different blue than everyone else's?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Fleury with the rare blunder. Gotta stop that.

Such a weird save attempt. Most goalies shoulder that one.