[Game Takes] Flames 4 Avalanche 0 (Flames Lead Series 1-0)

[Bingo]

Game Takes:
Flames 4 Avalanche 0

Flames lead series 1-0

- Smith posts the shut out
- Backlund gets it done against McKinnon
- Tkachuk pots two
- Mangiapane the winner!

[crapshoot]

Great write-up Bingo. I agree with the whole thing. I actually don't think we could have asked for a much better start to the playoffs all in all, so many good signs from this game.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bingo

off the snide

off the schneid

[DeluxeMoustache]

Nice write up.

Some real beauty glove saves from Smith.

Glovely

All you need is glove

Hopefully Smitty is the Claude Lemieux of goalies.

[Bingo]

Have to like a game where the top line isn't needed offensively and you win anyway ... especially if the top line didn't get crushed in their own zone.

The Avs will be better, but the Flames can point to discipline and staying out of the box as a way to better next time out as well.

[Strange Brew]

Pretty nice start to the playoffs with some room to get better. Can’t ask for much more than that!!

Didn’t really feel like a playoff game at first with both sides being fairly tentative. Game was better as it went on. Very interested to see how Flames come out Saturday and hope we see a team going for its opponents throat.

[dobbles]

Got to watch most of the game last night which is pretty rare for any game due to tiny kids. But I really thought you guys looked great and the puck possession and control of play was really reminiscent of the peak level Wings teams that just dictated play with their skill and hockey smarts. Kudos to you guys for putting all the pieces together!

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by dobbles

Got to watch most of the game last night which is pretty rare for any game due to tiny kids. But I really thought you guys looked great and the puck possession and control of play was really reminiscent of the peak level Wings teams that just dictated play with their skill and hockey smarts. Kudos to you guys for putting all the pieces together!

Yessir. It took a lot of lobbying the GM from the armchairs on the Internet, but we finally did it.

Just kidding of course. Looking forward to a good series

[sa226]

I wonder too if there was an adjustment to playoff refereeing for the Flames. Sifting through some of the noise, it seems like the refs message is "just shut up and let us do our jobs". Hence Mike Smith having a chat with Hanifin.

That first call against Johnson when he was scrumming with Tkachuk, floored me. Usually you take both guys in that case.

The weird holding call on Hanifin, when other guys were mauled and interfered with.

There was even a fairly obvious icing on the Flames, that was waived off. Right when Colorado was trying to mount a comeback.

I was even surprised by the Landeskog slash on Lindholm getting called. It was garbage, but im honestly surprised that it was called.

Just seemed like a weirdly reffed game. Though having said that, it kind of feels like the reffs are settling in too and I think this series will be well officiated.

[jaikorven]

The tentative start by both teams I think partly comes from their youth. Neither team is full of vets or tons of players with playoff experience, bar Neal. Here's to hoping the Flames are calmer now that the first game is out of the way. GFG and cheers to all CP.