Maybe the leads that Flames blew was because refs kept giving us penalties and no calling much on Oilers to change the momentum in favor of the Oilers. I have watched hockey my whole life, i can tell you how bias reffs were in this against the Flames. Also the call back goal on Coleman was ridiculous as it gets. No challenge from the Oilers yet Toronto decided to call back the goal. If this doesn't prove fixed, then nothing can. They want McDavid vs McKinnon, it's that simple. It's all about putting great product on the stage to showcase to the world to drive your profits up.

Our emotions as fans whether you are a Flames fan or an Oilers fan are played with by the league. You guys won today but your time to complain will come soon. Then you will see that we are all just in here to be taken advantage of to help league reach higher profits.
- hockey4hockey

I doubt it. The Avs have been looking like champions for a couple of seasons now. It’s unlikely the Oilers win the series. We made huge progress this year and it legitimately looks like we are among the top teams in the league , finally. The Avs are great though. The Oilers are a long shot to win.

Brutal call.

We've all seen way more questionable goals count over the years. This one was plain-as-day no kicking motion.

On the flipside, dude comparing a review to a goal resulting from a puck hitting a ref which is considered part of the rink in play is laughable. I'd think every knowledgable fan would know refs are part of the rink in play.

The notion that they reversed it because "it's the Flames" etc is weak though. Doesn't seem bias-based. More like straight up incompetence and inconsistency.

You had this blog written a week ago with a few blank spots to fill in. Everyone knows it.

100% the right call. He was in total control of his left skate, as evidenced by him pulling it back after he kicked the puck in. If he were falling, the left skate would have simply slid out from under him. People who understand the mechanics of skating, and edges, saw this easily.

It always sucks to go out like that, and the Flames had a great season and once again in history came up against a generational player with a motivated supporting cast.

I've come to really appreciatectge Calgary fans and the Flames a lot recently...you've got a very solid team there and your coach is fantastic...Sutter is a beauty.

Good luck next year, I know a few big names will sign in CGY nextvyear...they always do.

Cheers, and thanks for the lesson in hard work and physicality...these softie Oulers really needed it.

Ok Fellow Flames fans, we have to give credit where it is due. Yes we lost but let's all put aside our sour feelings and Congratulate the League and the Zebras for job well done. They made their wet dream of McDavid vs McKinnon come true. Congrats to Bettman and the league and the zebras for this outstanding accomplishment.

Sad thing is, they could have potentially still had Crosby involved. But the NHL and ESPN wanted the NY market involved more. Can't wait to see how they stick it to Carolina to keep NY around a little longer.
Far too long the NHL has ignored its stars and focused on market size, not star power like the NBA would have done.
Goal should have counted. And to those who think Edmonton would have just won the next 2 anyway--just remember the Pens-NY series. NY didnt have a pulse until the Trouba cheap shot--suspension worthy, but nothing coming from the NHL--knocked Crosby out and changed the series. Who is to say if the Flames had won that they wouldn't have come back? No one will ever know.
I long for the day we can watch hockey and not think that the NHL or networks had some angle on how the outcome plays out.

I long for the day we can watch hockey and not think that the NHL or networks had some angle on how the outcome plays out.
- Amanion

That day will never come for you, it will only come when you understand that this is all in your head. Haha

Objective opinion here...

IMO, the call on the ice should have stood. There was not a kicking motion IMO. His skate/leg did not swing. You can redirect the puck with a skate which is what happened here. I don't think it was intentional by Coleman as he was being checked and falling an a lot of factors in here but I don't think it was enough to overturn.

I will say if there was a no goal on the ice and it was reviewed it would have stayed the same way.

Despite the bitter playoff exit, Calgary had a great season. Sutter is worthy of the coach of the year award.

When Sutter was asked if the best team won the series...he answered the "best player" won the series.

Folks forget, the Oilers from the second half of the season are nothing like the Oilers from the first half.

Maybe we are lucky and see the same playoff match up next year. What does Calgary change/add to improve on their chances of beating McDavid and the Oilers?

Not an easy call.

Oilers/Flames series was far and away the most entertaining hockey this year.

How about we listen to Coleman himself...

"Maybe I don't know the rule. I thought you could direct the puck into the net as long as it wasn't a distinct kicking motion? My skate didn't leave the ice to kick anything. I just angled my skate to direct it in. So I don't understand why they called this a kick".

So basically you just admitted that you deliberately manouvered your skate to direct the puck into the net. Which is exactly what Kevin Bieksa said. You can see his eyes on the puck and a deliberate pivot in his foot to direct it in. No it didn't look like he was kicking a soccer ball, but that's not really what happens too often.

Anyway, a questionable call, but maybe let's drop the make believe story of how Coleman was just trying to stop and was being pushed and didn't even try to touch the puck. False.

Directing the puck with a skate that moves to do it is still a "kick", even though it is not "distinct". Thus, the NHL allows "subtle" kicking motion. Kinda like Edzo's "subtle interference".

Directing the puck with a skate that moves to do it is still a "kick", even though it is not "distinct". Thus, the NHL allows "subtle" kicking motion. Kinda like Edzo's "subtle interference".


- HenryHockey

Directing the puck is not a kick. It's more of a deflection. Regardless, it certainly wasn't 'distinct'. It took them 5 minutes to make the call and people seem to be about evenly split..doesn't sound distinct to me. NHL fckedup yet again. Whatver, they weren't able to hold a lead all series so doubt it made a difference.

on behalf of all Habs fans...thanks for the 1st rounder...so sorry for your loss....the games were exciting, but the Oilers def had a better series....The Flames just didn't pick up their game to meet the moment. Questions this off season for sure. Good luck this summer.

Instead of whining like a little female dog, maybe take into account the Flames had a 2-0 lead in the game and managed to blow that along with other leads.

quit your whining you little female dog

This is the way I look at it guys, and I have been saying this since Game 1 and some people were attacking me for saying this.

we should not be socked to see games as fixed games. Think about it if you are a business owner and you are trying to promote your business so you can attract more customers, what would you do? Would you put forward your best product to promote or a subpar product to promote?

If a car company wants to promote their cars, they will show the best car in the advertisement so more people can buy it. It is no different in hockey, unfortunately. Putting McDavid vs McKinnon is the best product for NHL to promote their game and make more money.

When people will watch McDavid vs McKinnon show, they will get entertained and entertainment means they will likely go to games, and buy team-related merchandise ... so this attracts more fans, especially new fans and help the sport grow for more profit.

So ultimately it is all about profit to the league. We as fans get emotionally attached to our team and that is the exact reason why we are taken advantage of by the league. Sad. Very sad that they do this but end of the day it's business for them.
- hockey4hockey

Not sure what the rigged business owners were thinking with a Stars/Lightning final. Guess they really couldn't leave off a marketing coup like a Kucherov vs Pavelski Final!

You guys got ripped apart but the NHL is a Mickey Mouse lieague

There was no distinct kicking motion. The rule, itself, is a joke. Any short of throwing the puck into the net should be a goal

You guys got ripped apart but the NHL is a Mickey Mouse lieague

There was no distinct kicking motion. The rule, itself, is a joke. Any short of throwing the puck into the net should be a goal

man i was really pulling for you guys... (frank)

Instead of whining like a little female dog, maybe take into account the Flames had a 2-0 lead in the game and managed to blow that along with other leads.

quit your whining you little female dog
- gkspartan

Don't forget that they also blew a 2-0 lead in Game 2. Not to mention having a 6-2 lead turn into a 6-6 tie. Draisaitl put up 17 points in 5 games. But that's all part of the conspiracy plan. If the NHL was so rigged, why didn't McDavid end up in Toronto with Matthews in his home state of Arizona. Why would a small market team like Edmonton who already have a loyal fanbase need McDavid. Instead he can end the long Cup drought in Toronto. Matthews can build hockey in Arizona. The people pulling all the strings sure didn't plan any of this too well.

I was looking forward to seeing Tkachuk post game. Was he even in the hand shake line?

Scratch a flames fan and you see a Canucks fan underneath. 4 disallowed goals in the series, 2 each way. Calgary still had plenty of opportunity to win afterward, they just came up short. Maybe complain about the soft play of Gaudreau on the OT winner or the porous play of your 6 million dollar Lemon instead of pulling out Vancouver's 'It's not FAAYYER' mantra.

I'm no fan of the Flames... duh.. Ducks fan...

But you guys got completely boned on that Coleman goal. I'd be livid.


Indisputable video evidence ... is that right nhl.. What a crock.

Oilers fan here.

You guys have a right to be pissed. I thought it was a good goal. It was going in the net anyway.

But.

There was a distinct kicking motion. Legs don't go from behind the skater to in front of the skater aimed directly at the puck. The follow through leaves the ice with flair that from that behind above angle absolutely looks like a kick.

Since it was called a good goal on the ice and was going in anyway it just seems stupid to call the goal back. The kicking motion was imo more kicking than directing but by the smallest of margins. Not enough to call a goal back under these circumstances.

As that Flames player said. Even up 5-4 with 5 minutes left who knows how the game would end but it obviously would have been a huge advantage and at the end of the day most likely a win.

Sucks to be jobbed the refs. Oilers fans are very familiar with that. Calgary had a great season and that goal allowed or disallowed most likely does not change the final outcome of the series anyways. Obviously not a Flames and truly do not want to see them do well but it was a rather nice change for both the Oilers and the Flames to have a good team at the same time. Far more exciting for everyone.

Trevor Neufeld: Oilers Take the Series in five — The NHL Once Again Shows Bias
- Trevor_Neufeld_

Lets use logic here and not be stupid. It is extremely simple to quantify Trevor's point. First, the play was called a goal on the ice; therefore, you need indisputable evidence to overturn the call on the ice. For the league to "guess" Coleman's intent to reverse the call.... completely unacceptable. That goal was a goal all day long.

In saying that, the Flames didnt get robbed because they had leads all game that they blew within minutes. Its more quantifiable to say the Oilers would have tied it up in regulation then to say that goal should have been disallowed. Markstrom was simply horrendous. I dont think i have ever seen a series where a goalie got beat in the same spot over a dozen times!! (just below the glove). Markstrom was the reason the Flames had such a great season but the Oilers made him look like Mike smith on the other end of his manic episodes.

At the end of the day, Chucky was AWOL after game #1, defense was not the same without Tanev, the Oilers won the goal-tending battle (this is so tough to write, seems unbelievable with that sieve they got). and....the main reason the Oilers won the series was their best players were their best players night in and night out, consistency!! inspired hockey from the leaders. I dont think it was a lack of effort from Chucky, he just simply is no where near the talent level of Drasaitl and McNuggets. Likewise for Gadreau. Talented players but not 2 players that can drive their team to a cup. McNuggets and Draisaitl remind me of Taves and Kane in their hay day.

How about Draistaitl, playing on one leg and gets what 17 pts ? That was an amazing performance.