Not to go all Eric Francis here, but this is the biggest game for this franchise in many years. The Flames are past the point where getting into the playoffs is an achievement and winning a round is gravy.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
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Win Every Race
Clog the Neutral Zone
Stand Up at the blue line
Backcheck hard and smart
Block every shot you can
Shoot every shot you can
Crash the net
Manage the puck
For #### sake... Just Win
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"May those who accept their fate find happiness. May those who defy it find glory."
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I'll be honest, I am not sure why a lot of people thought this was going to be a walk in the park for the Flames. I never believed it, and actually thought the Avs would take this in 6. I still think the Avs will take this series in 6, maybe even 5. But for the Flames to stand any chance whatsoever, they need to win today.
Not to go all Eric Francis here, but this is the biggest game for this franchise in many years. The Flames are past the point where getting into the playoffs is an achievement and winning a round is gravy.
Burke said before the playoffs that he didn't think the Flames are Cup contenders yet - that you have to be battle scarred a couple of times before you can take the next step.
If the Flames lose in the first round it is not a complete loss - Treliving will be paying attention to what changes need to be made.
To me, the key for the Flames is to win the majority of puck battles, especially in the offensive zone. They were very good at this during the regular season. They have not come close to doing it in the last two games. If they do it tonight, they will spend a lot more time in the offensive zone, a lot less time defending, and I think they will win.
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"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
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I was suffering greatly game one with a kidney stone so as enjoyable as it was it wasn't very enjoyable. However, I have been fine for the last two games and we have all seen how that has worked out. With this scientific evidence behind me I have decided to once again suffer the wraths of the kidney stone for the good of the team.
All bow down (and cry) at the might of the kidney stone.
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We are a fast skillful team...much like the NHL is trying to encourage. I recall Burke saying if the Flames try to go the tough, physical route, they will lose.
Just play like you are capable and meant to do, and let the chips fall.
Last edited by flamesfever; 04-17-2019 at 09:51 AM.
Avoid the full 2-minute 5 on 3 disadvantage in the first 10 minutes and we are golden.
Go Flames.
So basically kill the refs in the first minute so they can’t gift the Avs that advantage.
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Calgary Flames, PLEASE GO TO THE NET! AND SHOOT THE PUCK! GENERATING OFFENSE IS NOT DIFFICULT! SKATE HARD, SHOOT HARD, CRASH THE NET HARD!
This game has me worried. All the players interviews yesterday have me worried. They just seem to be totally broken, well bennett didnt. We just dont seem to have an answer for Mackinnon. That said, hopefully they come out guns a blazing and get that first goal which will be huge. We are the better team from the top to the bottom. Lets #### them up tonight and prove it. I also hope the refs arent complete idiots, but that is wishful thinking.
Sportselect Info
Flames win = 2.15
Overtime = 3.5
Avs win = 2.35
Over 5.5 = 1.5
Under 5.5 = 1.95
We are still the road favorite even after the turd of a game Monday, so perhaps all the chicken-little types can wait until after tonight to decide if the sky is falling. Have to get the W today though.
Hopefully yesterday's meetings/video session will correct the huge gap between the forwards and D, as well as backing off both blue lines easily, which is what's allowing Colorado to come at them with speed. Also need to avoid penalties so the team can get into a good rhythm and build momentum over several good ES shifts.
Interested to see what lineup or line shuffling Peters has in store and wouldn't mind if we split Monahan and Gaudreau at ES at least for a bit. Might not be a bad idea to make MacKinnon play against one of our guys who make it hard to play against by placing one on each line in the hopes they can drag their line mates into battle tonight:
Gaudreau - Backlund - Tkachuk (or even have the wingers flip sides) Bennett - Monahan - Lindholm
Mangiapane - Ryan - Hathaway
Frolik - Jankowski - Neal (8 mins or less @ ES)
I expect they will have to weather an early surge by the Avs looking to deliver the knockout punch early in the hopes Calgary folds like they did on Monday. Flames defend soundly, work hard to draw a penalty, and a Gaudreau to Monahan PP goal kicks off a reversal of the team's fortunes. They begin to play the way we all know they are capable of, and we induce another MacKinnon bench temper tantrum. Flames fans breathe a sigh of relief as they even the series and return to Calgary with renewed belief they can get past this Avs team. GFG!
Last edited by CN10; 04-17-2019 at 11:04 AM.
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Winning 60% of the face-offs while being outshot almost 2-1 is rather remarkable and suggests the Flames lack confidence in holding possession. Worried about the first period of this game... it'll be a mental battle amongst the Flames players themselves.