WCSF: GAME 1 - OILERS @ FLAMES, 7:30 p.m. MT | TV: CBC/Sportsnet | Radio: Sportsnet 960

[Ace Rimmer]

Lines to be determined because of this:

Chris Tanev was back on the ice and was a full participant in Tuesday's practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

GO FLAM! WIN GAEM!

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[missionAvs]

This is going to be epic. Super excited. I'm expecting 7 goals in the first 2 minutes. It's going to be a blood bath. I'm ready!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

f*** 'em up, Oilers.

 

[snipes]

Let’s ****ing go!!

 

[oXo Cube]

I heard bus fares are covered by the city in Calgary.

Instead, riders are expected to help feed the horses.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

time to shock the world Oilers!

 

[Coffey]

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Sheppy]

 

[NigerianNightmare]

I hope Johnny Hockey is going to have a hat trick and 7 pts

 

[DJJones]

Valimaki and Mackey up with the big team.

Rough for the heat, just swept the baby oilers and lose their top two defenders.

 

[Volica]

I'm excited to see how the tone is set.
I assume Calgary's going to make this mucky and ugly right off the bat.

 

[Akrapovince]

I’m really interested to see how Lucic plays against his old buddies. That was the concern when he was in Edmonton if I’m not mistaken right? Him being more worried about getting invited to summer parties than forechecking.

Also a question to those more knowledgeable, does a track meet style game if it were to hypothetically happen benefit the Oilers or Flames more?

Oilers have more top end power, Flames has presumably more depth (?) and the better goaltender so not quite sure how a high scoring game would work.

 

[DCDM]

Dis gon b gud.

 

[mouz135]

Cheering on the flames this series. Hope they put the boots to the Oilers

 

[Volica]

I’m really interested to see how Lucic plays against his old buddies. That was the concern when he was in Edmonton if I’m not mistaken right? Him being more worried about getting invited to summer parties than forechecking.

Also a question to those more knowledgeable, does a track meet style game if it were to hypothetically happen benefit the Oilers or Flames more?

Oilers have more top end power, Flames has presumably more depth (?) and the better goaltender so not quite sure how a high scoring game would work.

It's been a couple years now, and Edmonton has had some fairly significant turnover; don't think that should be any kind of an issue here.

Plus I don't think these players will have a hard time getting going, especially the faces on the other side.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

I’m really interested to see how Lucic plays against his old buddies. That was the concern when he was in Edmonton if I’m not mistaken right? Him being more worried about getting invited to summer parties than forechecking.

Also a question to those more knowledgeable, does a track meet style game if it were to hypothetically happen benefit the Oilers or Flames more?

Oilers have more top end power, Flames has presumably more depth (?) and the better goaltender so not quite sure how a high scoring game would work.

I don't know if that's true. The Oilers have McDavid and a clearly hobbled Draisaitl.

The Flames have Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Lindholm at the top of the chart. Two hundred point forwards and a 42 goal 80+ point selke candidate on their first line.

 

[Coffey]

Hope the Oilers start the game like they did game 7. Hitting everything that moves and finishing every check.
The tone will be set and it's gonna get nasty.

 

[Akrapovince]

It's been a couple years now, and Edmonton has had some fairly significant turnover; don't think that should be any kind of an issue here.

Plus I don't think these players will have a hard time getting going, especially the faces on the other side.

Okay thank you for the clarification, was that issue with Lucic while he was in Edmonton just a figment of my imagination? Thinking back now we never played any of his previous teams in the playoffs.

 

[PinSeeker]

It's been a couple years now, and Edmonton has had some fairly significant turnover; don't think that should be any kind of an issue here.

Plus I don't think these players will have a hard time getting going, especially the faces on the other side.

Agreed Lucic "friends" storyline is old news, not a factor.

Track meet might even the playing field for the Oilers a bit, but in no circumstance would I say it benefits them to the extent that they have a better chance at winning than the Flames. We are underdogs, no doubt.

 

[Volica]

Agreed Lucic "friends" storyline is old news, not a factor.

Track meet might even the playing field for the Oilers a bit, but in no circumstance would I say it benefits them to the extent that they have a better chance at winning than the Flames. We are underdogs, no doubt.

I think Edmonton's game plan is to open it wide, where they have the advantage of McDavid who could score 3-4 points any game on his own. This is the way the Oilers win.

I think Calgary's plan will be to make this an absolute muck show. Every inch of ice is paid for in full, they'll look to control 70-65% of shots like they did with Dallas. No defenseman will go unpunished for playing the puck, every whistle will have some sort of physical intimidation portion to it; I imagine they'll be getting into Smith's ear early and often because he's clearly not level-headed.

Stylistically it'll be very interesting to see how things shake out.

 

[Akrapovince]

I think Edmonton's game plan is to open it wide, where they have the advantage of McDavid who could score 3-4 points any game on his own. This is the way the Oilers win.

I think Calgary's plan will be to make this an absolute muck show. Every inch of ice is paid for in full, they'll look to control 70-65% of shots like they did with Dallas. No defenseman will go unpunished for playing the puck, every whistle will have some sort of physical intimidation portion to it; I imagine they'll be getting into Smith's ear early and often because he's clearly not level-headed.

Stylistically it'll be very interesting to see how things shake out.

The only issue with the Flames strategy in my opinion is that if the game turns into a physical trench warfare style of game, McDavid can still punish the Flames offensively. I’m not sure if I can say the same about Tkachuk (who probably would be more interested in fighting Kassian) and Johnny Hockey.

I think that Anaheim series and Kesler created a monster in McDavid that can figure out how to score in any situation, even with Kopitar and Danault hounding him. Lindholm will be up to the task though, for sure. But McDavid getting double shifted to counter that match up would work, it worked with the two elite centres from the Kings.

 

[DJJones]

The only issue with the Flames strategy in my opinion is that if the game turns into a physical trench warfare style of game, McDavid can still punish the Flames offensively. I’m not sure if I can say the same about Tkachuk (who probably would be more interested in fighting Kassian) and Johnny Hockey.

This ain't the regular season. Sutter would be pissed if a 1st liner fought a plug.

You fight someone and it better be roughly equivalent skill wise.

 

[Akrapovince]

This ain't the regular season. Sutter would be pissed if a 1st liner fought a plug.

You fight someone and it better be roughly equivalent skill wise.

I didn’t catch much of the Flames/Stars series so excuse my ignorance but wasn’t that the gripe with Tkachuk?

Or was the Tkachuk/Klingberg (?) thing a a one off isolated incident? Or are you saying they have roughly same effect on the ice?

 

[DJJones]

I didn’t catch much of the Flames/Stars series so excuse my ignorance but wasn’t that the gripe with Tkachuk?

Or was the Tkachuk/Klingberg (?) thing a a one off isolated incident? Or are you saying they have roughly same effect on the ice?

One fight with Klingberg was fine. The second one was moronic. Tkachuk was infintely better when he just played the skill game in game 6 and 7.

If he took a top 4 defense out with a fight I'd be fine with that trade-off.

 

[Volica]

One fight with Klingberg was fine. The second one was moronic. Tkachuk was infintely better when he just played the skill game in game 6 and 7.

If he took a top 4 defense out with a fight I'd be fine with that trade-off.

He chased Klingberg a bit too much, but I mean, Klingberg had all of 1 point that entire series (1 assist on the PP) after leading the Stars D in that category in the regular season.

He won't even look at an idiot like Kassian except to draw a penalty out of a gorilla like that. I except him to constantly be around guys like Nurse, Draisaitl and Kane poking them non-stop.