Apologies to the stats community for today’s piece. This isn’t a Leafs blog. We’re not going to cling to advanced stats or the pathetic “Deserve to Win-o-Meter” that moneypuck rolls out. Today is about hope, faith and believing your team can achieve more than their previous results.
For the second time this offseason, the Flames will play on the brink of elimination. This time not in a revered game seven, but game five with the prospect of an early out of the second round.
Down three to one in the season series and having lost three straight— the writing is there on the wall. Teams don’t come back from that kind of deficit often.
While some fans hold out a bastion of hope in the fact that Darryl Sutter has coached an LA Kings team back from a 3-0 series deficit against the San Jose Sharks— which was what many Sharks fans call the darkest moment in the franchise— or the fact that Darryl Sutter led the Kings through three game sevens in 2014; it’s not a very likely outcome.
With the stumbles out of the gate and low quality stretches the Flames have played in four games, we’re likely to see a couple more of those over, at best, three games.
All of that said, you’re here for it, right?
You’re not a Flames fan because the odds are in your team’s favour. Cheer for Tampa if you want perennial playoff success. Cheer for the Oilers if you want stars that could only be drafted after having a worse season than the Flames have ever had.
You cheer for the Flames because it’s your team and you’re here for the journey. The highs, the lows, and everything in between.
So, let’s assume tonight will fall under “everything in between” and adjust our expectations accordingly. Despite the series deficit, now we get to see how the team’s leadership responds one game at a time. Interesting stuff to a fan that’s here for the long ride.
Morning skate lines courtesy of Derek Wills. @Fan960Wills
Provided that Tanev is practicing with Kylington, it’s probably fair to assume the Flames are going 11/7 again tonight with Ritchie as the odd man out.
Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Dube-Jarnkrok-Toffoli
Lucic-Lewis-Ritchie
Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov-Gudbranson
Mackey-Stone
Markstrom
Vladar
A Blunder of Pride
You don’t need to ask an objective opinion on the matter, most Flames fans will agree that it’s not a good decision to put Tanev back in tonight. His injured shoulder got overpowered on a Zach Hyman goal. That alone is enough to qualify him as a liability.
Add to that the many times he got the worse end of collisions and left the ice favouring his arm— just why? Tanev has plenty of years of pro hockey left and will be looking at offseason surgery if he keeps hurting his shoulder further.
At very least, slap a “C” on the man. Whether it’s a major strain, a dislocated shoulder or an assortment of upper body issues; the guy is playing through some serious pain.
Brink Hockey
Oh, so much doom and gloom. Take a moment to reflect on such a surreal season and postseason. Leading up to the last week; the Calgary Flames had proven so much.
No more 40 minute efforts, no more slow starts, secondary scoring, tertiary scoring, lockdown defence, the best line in hockey, no more getting outsized by bigger, trap hockey styles— and the last one— the ability to claw back into a game from insurmountable odds.
Laying dormant in this series is that team. That team that can do everything above. With just a spark this team can ignite into the indomitable team that put up the best defence in the West and won their division.
Tonight is their last chance at that. A chance to prove they should be considered “contenders”. One last kick at the can.
So do yourself a favour. Take in tonight’s game and try to enjoy it. Hope for a solid sixty. If it’s in the cards— then great.
After all, dealing with the cards you are dealt is the way of the Flames fan. All the chips are in tonight; good hand or bad. Just try to enjoy it.
We’ll finish with some wisdom from Kelsey Snow. She’s been an incredible source of inspiration and hope this offseason. Her husband, assistant general manager to the Flames, Chris Snow, was diagnosed with ALS in 2019 was given less than a year to live. The disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis attacks the spinal chord and brain progressively limiting muscle control as it develops. Thanks to an experimental drug that combats the effects of this disease; Chris is approaching his 41st birthday in August and is in his third year of surviving. Every day is game seven for the Snow family.
Here she is again offering her wisdom on hope. Something she understands as much as any of us.
Game time is 7:30 mountain standard time.
Trevor Neufeld
@Trevor_Neufeld 
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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