[GDT] WCSF: GAME 1 - BATTLE OF ALBERTA - 7:30pm TV: SN/CBC/TVA/ESPN- RADIO 960

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Everything that needs to be said has been said. Keep focused, play your game, play 5 on 5.


Tkachuk especially will need to focus himself and not go running around like he did v Klingberg. If he sees a chance to railroad Kassian take it, but don't go looking for it.



I am strangely calm.

Tkachuk will be a big factor to winning this series.
Need game 7 Tkachuk, not game 2-6 Tkachuk.
The Oilers will go out of their way to gun for him and take penalties if he plays it smart.

[BurningSteel]

Just win!! Convincingly my heart cant take anything else. GFG!!

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I’ll be cheering from a yurt in Mongolia. Go Flames Go!

For some reason I was looking at a travel advisory map the other day, and Mongolia is one of the friendliest countries for a Canadian to visit, according to the government. They must be hockey fans there.

[8sPOT]

McDavid leads the Oilers in icetime, you need to finish checks on him every single chance you get. Don't need to be dirty just finish your checks. Every. Single. Time.

A little disappointed in the lack of Flames jerseys at the office today but thats ok. The Dome will be rockin' I'm sure!

4-1 Flames.

Tkachuk, Backlund, Lindholm x 2.

[Cheese]

Mark Spector

@SportsnetSpec

Oilers GM Ken Holland confirms on @OilersNow
that Draisaitl, Kane and RNH will all play in Game 1 tmw.


Kane and RNH must have owies as well or he wouldnt have mentioned them.

[Enoch Root]

How has it been 31 years since these teams faced each other in the playoffs? How is that even possible?

The answer is that the hockey gods would not allow it. Because the iterations of these two teams, over those 30 years of darkness, were not worthy of this battle.

These two teams have EARNED the honour of becoming part of this battle! And now it is time to see which of these teams is the more worthy!

[OldSam]

Go Flames!

[dissentowner]

Here are my 10 things the Flames should do to win this series.

1. Start on time and bring the physicality early, especially against Draisaitl. The guy is hurting and can barely skate, hit him early and often with hard clean checks. If we can take him out of the series early that just leaves McDingus as the real big threat.

2. When McDavid is on the ice one of Backlund or Lindholm should be as well when possible. Make his life hell, take your hits against him, double team him at times, make the rest of the Oilers try and beat us.

3. Get a lot of traffic in front of Mike Smith. Everybody should be chirping at him all the time because he is a hot head. He will make stupid decisions but he will make even more when he is losing his crap. I actually think Koskinen will be there go to guy by game 3.

4. Get in Evander Kane's face. Another hot head who will make dumb decisions, stay disciplined and don't retaliate when he loses his mind.

5. Zach Kassian. See post 4.

6. Play their game and don't get caught up in the media circus BOA crap. If they keep their composure they should roll over this Oilers team quite easily.

7. Try and stay out of the box. Unfortunately the Oilers are going to get their looks on the PP no matter how disciplined the Flames play because game management. Just don't take dumb penalties that are legit dumb penalties.

8. Throw everything at the net. Don't look for the cute perfect play or pass, this is Mike Smith in net we are talking about here. He has an uncanny ability to make great saves on high danger shots but let in far away weak softies.

9. Have fun. Enjoy playing in the series. Feed of the loud Saddledome crowds.

10. Win baby! Just win! GFG.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by 8sPOT

McDavid leads the Oilers in icetime, you need to finish checks on him every single chance you get. Don't need to be dirty just finish your checks. Every. Single. Time.

A little disappointed in the lack of Flames jerseys at the office today but thats ok. The Dome will be rockin' I'm sure!

4-1 Flames.

Tkachuk, Backlund, Lindholm x 2.

He was playing 27+ minutes a night against arguably the worst team in the playoffs. Now he's facing off against probably a top-4 NHL team. Flames players should not let up on ANY chance to dish out physical contact.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I’ll be cheering from a yurt in Mongolia. Go Flames Go!

A yurt in Mongolia... you've officially picked the accommodation and setting that makes authentic local experience vs. hipster vacation mode indistinguishable. Well done!

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Macman

I think it’s pretty awesome that the Flames are still playing and it’s round two! Game 1 in a new series in the BOA and I’m not really feeling any pressure although I think it’s best for the Flames to win game 1 which I think they will. I picked the Flames in 5.

Go Flames!

Was thinking that last night.

Round two ... so only two games tonight, and two tomorrow ... that's 8 teams and Calgary is one of them? Crazy!

[tvp2003]

There were 10 penalties called in the TB/FLO Game 1 (one was a double minor), only 4 penalties in the COL/STL Game 1. So hard to say if the penalty parade that began round 1 will continue at the start of round 2; obviously the Flames need to stay out of the box as the Flames have the edge 5-on-5.

I didn't watch Game 7 of the EDM/LA series but that was four days ago so we'll see if Draisaitl is still hobbling. At worst he can still shoot one timers on the PP, but if he does have an ongoing injury it leaves them with one line that will likely get heavy minutes.

Both teams had to endure a seven game series but I think Calgary will enter more battle tested. Edmonton had to deal with LA's trap but Calgary will be a much different opponent. Meanwhile, Calgary will probably find much more room out there as Dallas plays much more disciplined in the d-zone.

And of course goaltending. I predict there will be at least one blowout, one high scoring game, and one low scoring game this series. However, I'm confident Smith will not be able to replicate what Oettinger just did.

Hoping for a good series. Hoping we see a Mike Smith meltdown or two. Hoping we beat them on the scoreboard before we beat them in the alley. Except for Draisaitl -- hit that ****sucker all game long and regardless of what the score is.

GFG!

[DynamRyan]

Go Flames Go. These 3:30 am start times will probably kill me, but it will be worth it when insomnia completely envelops me, and I become a Flames-cheering husk of a human. Terrified of McCrapbucket getting all the calls, but if they play as well as we know they can 5 on 5, they will massacre the Oilers. GO FLAMES GO. That is all.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Get a lot of traffic in front of Mike Smith. Everybody should be chirping at him all the time because he is a hot head. He will make stupid decisions but he will make even more when he is losing his crap. I actually think Koskinen will be there go to guy by game 3.

For the fans in the Dome: every time the Flames are entering the offensive zone, chant “MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-KEYYYYYYYYYYYYY MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-KEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY MIIIIIIIIIIIII-KEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY”, complete with the two-hand hex wave. Not Smiiiii-iiiiiiiiith, not Miiiiiii-iiiiiike, but MIIIIIIIIIII-KEYYYYYYYYYYYY.

[RyZ]

3 keys to the Flames success in this series

-Stay out of the penalty box
-Stay out of the penalty box
-Stay out of the penalty box

[DynamRyan]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I’ll be cheering from a yurt in Mongolia. Go Flames Go!

Never mind 3:30 am start times are fine. Go You!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Kane and RNH must have owies as well or he wouldnt have mentioned them.

Could be gamesmanship like Sutter with the Ritchie/Stone thing last round. Pretend they are nursing injuries to make the Flames alter their focus or expect players that aren't 100% when they are just fine.

[The Yen Man]

I'm excited for this game, but also very nervous. I have no idea what game this will turn out to be. It can be anywhere from a blow out to a defensive triple OT game. You just never know when these two teams play what to expect.

Here's hoping Flames can get to Smith early and chase him out of the net.

[MacDaddy77]

what time should we get there for warmups?

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Could be gamesmanship like Sutter with the Ritchie/Stone thing last round. Pretend they are nursing injuries to make the Flames alter their focus or expect players that aren't 100% when they are just fine.

All three missed practice yesterday. But if it is gamesmanship, you would think Holland (why is the GM talking about lineups?!?) would be keeping his mouth shut and not saying which players will or won't be playing.

It's more likely he's just trying to keep his own fans calm amongst news that Draisaitl actually is injured.

I also think resting Kane and RNH makes sense because they're probably planning on playing them 30 minutes a night.