Calgary Puck

Now that was an experience.

And honestly it played out pretty close to as expected.

We knew a few things going into game seven …

1. It wasn’t going to be easy
2. They’d have to have a huge shot volume on Jake Oettinger to get it done
3. The Flames would never choose a path of less resistance

So the relief pretty much matched the noise level when Johnny Gaudreau went short side high from a bit of a sketchy angle to end the game and the series in overtime, putting the Flames through with a 3-2 overtime victory.

The Flames move on to play the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs, a series that starts on Wednesday night at the Saddledome.

That’s the first time these teams have met in 32 years dating back to the 1991 playoff series that had the Flames bow out in seven games.

This could be something else.

– Full Article –

A tale of two hockey games.

A first period where the Flames came out roaring, took over the first period and looked every bit the team that was hell bent on ending things in game six and moving on to round two.

Then the Hyde of teams showed up the rest of the way, as the Flames got stuck in their own zone, turned over many a puck, and pretty much gifted the game to the Dallas Stars forcing game seven.

The 4-2 Stars victory was their best game in the series to date, and perhaps the credit should go to what they changed and accomplished versus what the Flames didn’t or wouldn’t do.

Game seven goes Sunday night in Calgary.

Is this the ’89 first round that took the Flames to new heights? Or the Ducks game seven from 2006 that had us all scratching our heads?

I guess we’ll find out.

– Full Article –

The first 40 minutes of this one felt like far too many Calgary Flames playoff games in years past.

The team isn’t necessarily playing poorly, but they’re not playing like themselves, and with that they are either tied or trailing and making things clinically uncomfortable.

Then the third period, and specifically the reconstituted 2nd line came along.

A tying goal from Mikael Backlund, and then a go ahead goal from Andrew Mangiapane completely changed the narrative and sent the Flames towards a huge 3-1 win and a 3-2 edge in the best of seven series.

The duo combine for four third period points to snatch the victory away from the Dallas Stars and give the team a chance at finishing the series on Friday night in Dallas.

Not something you see every day from this franchise.

– Full Article –

I hate the term “statement game”.

It adds too much weight to a single out come.

However there are games where a team facing adversity comes out and makes it really obvious that the narrative is different this time around, and a great season isn’t going to get washed away by a hot young goaltender and the opposing team clinching sticks.

The Flames down 2-1 in Dallas left very little doubt, at least in the end, in putting up 54 shots on goal and skating away with a 4=1 victory after beating the unbeatable Jake Oettinger three times.

The games was 1-0 heading into the third period with both goaltenders standing on their heads, so the script was there for the Stars to pull off an improbable victory.

Instead the Flames got the game winner on a Johnny Gaudreau penalty shot, and just kept pouring it on it tying the series and making it a best of three, as per the norm in the NHL this playoff season.

Next up the Stars in Calgary on Wednesday night.

Are the Flames back?

– Full Article –

It was incredible how different game three was compared to the first two games in Calgary.

Way more offensive flow and a huge pile up of scoring chances, as the Dallas Stars broke open a 2-2 tie in the third period with a Joe Pavelski powerplay goal to tilt the game towards the home side.

The Flames had a 2-1 lead in the second period, and looked to be taking the game away before wilting in the last 7 minutes of the period and sending the game into the third period all tied up.

Johnny Gaudreau had a breakaway with five minutes to go in an effort to tie things up but Jake Oettinger made the save to put a exclamation point on a game where he dominated.

The Flames won’t want to go down 3-1 on Monday night, so they have to find a way to solve the young Dallas goaltender.

– Full Article –