The Positivity Thread

[Jetfire]

This is a tall task no matter how you look at it, but you need two home wins and one road win, that's doable. We only had like two stretches this bad the entire season, surely they can turn things around again like they did then and regain some momentum.

[Dang]

Darryl Sutter and the LA Kings came back from being down 3-0 in 2014 and went on to win the cup so I believe they can do it again. In Sutter we trust!

[bubbsy]

I'm just looking at next game, not the series...

The only reason I am hopeful the flames win is that, other than backlund and Tanev in his only appearance, every other flame has more to give and hasn't had a solid game as yet.

If an elimination game can bring out the best in the markstrom, and/or the Andersson/hanifan pairing, or the top line to dominate offensively and defensively, depth guys like dube/jarnkrok/lucic/etc actually making an impact, if a just one or a few things can manifest they should win at home tomorrow....

[djsFlames]

If there's any time that Jarnkrok could factor in on the scoresheet, it's game 5. Imagine he has a multi goal night in a slump-buster.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

If there's any time that Jarnkrok could factor in on the scoresheet, it's game 5. Imagine he has a multi goal night in a slump-buster.

That line is the key. Dube has nothing in playoffs so far. It’s time for him to get a couple breakaways.

[Knut]

I am very confident they win tomorrow.

Flames started playing their game last night. Oilers showed signs of weakness. It’s like when a team is on a long winning streak and they win despite of themselves while a team on a big losing streak plays well and it doesn’t go their way. Hoping all fortunes are turned starting tomorrow.

[Vinny01]

It is a huge game for this organization. They invested in bringing in a cup winning coach, they gave a cup winning third line player a 6 year deal at $5M per, they traded a 1st rounder for a second liner who has won before.

Ultimately they need their 3 highest paid players (Tkachuk, Gaudreau, Markstrom) to be their best players and play to their potential for 3 games if they want to win this series.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

If the Oilers with that defense and that goalie can win 3 in a row, the Flames surely can. They're not playing the '87 Canada Cup team here.

The Flames have won 3 in a row 8 times this season........time to make it 9.

[blender]

As a fan, watching your team get a win to stave off elimination is a great feeling. It's a great high, and tomorrow we've got the opportunity to enjoy it. I'm really looking forward to the game.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

If the Oilers with that defense and that goalie can win 3 in a row, the Flames surely can. They're not playing the '87 Canada Cup team here.

The Flames have won 3 in a row 8 times this season........time to make it 9.

They have even beat the Oilers 3 times in a row this season

[CGY12]

Gonna dip my toes in this thread even though many of you think I'm a fair-weather (which is the furthest thing from the truth) and negative fan. Making an effort to be more positive overall in all aspects. Shout out to Backlund, i've been all over him this year and in parts of the Dallas series but that was super impressive last game and I'm not surprised the longest tenure Flame is taking this BOA personally. If he can continue that level of play, I like our chance to force a game 6.

[Philly06Cup]

The obvious explanation of why the Flames are losing is that Markstrom and Smith switched bodies a la Freaky Friday. It happened some time midway through game two -- maybe through a magic gatorade bottle, I don't know. Smith making timely saves; Markstrom giving the puck away -- it's all Freaky Friday voodoo. Just recently, Markstrom must have learned empathy for Smith, and so now the curse has been removed. Mike Smith allowing a goal from the other end of the ice and scowling at teammates is proof that the Freaky Friday body switch is over. Should be a piece of cake series now that both goalies are back to their normal selves.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Gaudreau and Tkachuk have yet to really put their mark on this series, early game 1 aside. I mean dominate possession on their shifts as well as produce like we've seen them do all year.

2 keys to a comeback for me is can those two turn it on here, and can we get over .9 goaltending.

If we start getting their A game like in round one game 7 facing elimination, then this series will be extended.

It was like they got a bit scared when Kane said the Oilers are going to go after the Flames top players.

But I noticed something. Kane ran over Gaudreau in an untargetted collision near a blue line. Gaudreau seemed to have more jump the rest of the game but there wasn't enough time left to make a mark.

I'm expecting something big to happen in game 5.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by CGY12

Gonna dip my toes in this thread even though many of you think I'm a fair-weather (which is the furthest thing from the truth) and negative fan. Making an effort to be more positive overall in all aspects. Shout out to Backlund, i've been all over him this year and in parts of the Dallas series but that was super impressive last game and I'm not surprised the longest tenure Flame is taking this BOA personally. If he can continue that level of play, I like our chance to force a game 6.

He's been the team's best two-way player in these playoffs......and it might not even be close. He's been great.

[AFireInside]

Is it weird that I'm far more comfortable and a little more confident with the Flames being big underdogs?

[tripin_billie]

They worked all season to ensure that they had home ice advantage. They can take advantage of that and hold serve. They need a single road win! Flames in 7!

[Jiggy_12]

I’ve been sour all day about this, but I’ve turned a corner. I’ve already accepted the math that we are likely to lose this series, it sucks but we got McDavid’d.

However, in the chance we win, it will be the most historic Flames comeback of all time and it will light this city up like never (ever) before.

And in the end no matter what, we got a lifetime memory with the Gaudreau OT winner. That will always be a “where were you when” moment after the intensity of that series, those games, and that god-mode goalie.

It’s been a fun season and I hope it’s not over yet!!

We all expected a high draft pick this year and what we got was far far better

[White Out 403]

The rest of Canada to the Flames: (except the ass hats at CBC)

[Philly06Cup]

Hope everyone had calmed down after that loss and outrageous disallowed goal.

I am damn proud of these Flames. Johnny went from a flailing superstar to a top two player in the entire league. Darryl is the coach of the year. Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk was the best line in hockey. Markstrom is a top 3 goalie. I'm not even being hyperbolic -- our team was that fn good. Their possession and fancy stats were amazing. They deserved to be where they were in the regular season, and that should be applauded.

From the midpoint of the season onward, the Flames were one of the top three teams most likely to win the Stanley Cup. Treliving built a bona fide 100% legitimate contender. As a fan, that's the most I could ask for from management. The building was full, there was excitement all around the city.

In round one, the Flames survived literally the greatest goalie performance of all time in a playoff series. Again, that is not an exaggeration. That was one of the greatest goalie battle series ever, culminating in a euphoric Game 7 overtime thriller. For many fans, that will be the greatest Flames experience of their lifetime.

Round 2.. sucked. Sometimes goalies run hot -- in this case, our goalie ran really really cold. They also faced a historic dynamic duo performance for the ages that they couldn't quite overcome. Full marks to McDavid -- he's one of a kind, and willed his team to victory.

Still. I will choose to focus on all the positives of the season. I hope others can, too.

[mile]

This loss really stings.

But I'm proud of this team and what they did, especially considering the expectations some had before the season. I'll always remember the game 7 OT winner by Johnny and the shots of him/Mony and the Red Lot after that. Probably the most fun I've had following the team since 2014-15 as I looked forward to every game, A lot of players raised their value, and there will be more options to improve the team this offseason compared to last summer when we were down on a lot of our players and their value.