ROUND ONE : P1 Anaheim v WC1 Calgary

[sseagle]

Thursday, April 13, 9:30pm: Flames @ Ducks | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Saturday, April 15, 9:30pm: Flames @ Ducks | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Monday, April 17, 9pm: Ducks @ Flames | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN
Wednesday, April 19, 9pm: Ducks @ Flames | CBC, TVA Sports, USA
Friday, April 21, TBD: Flames @ Ducks | TBD
Sunday, April 23, TBD: Ducks @ Flames | TBD
Tuesday, April 25, TBD: Flames @ Ducks | TBD

[glen a richter]

Anaheim in 6

[Toasted Oates]

Brian Elliott 2017 playoffs:
Flames are down 0-3
.887 save % (dead last)
3.67 GAA (dead last)

[Oaklandblue]

Brian Elliott 2017 playoffs:
Flames are down 0-3
.887 save % (dead last)
3.67 GAA (dead last)

This series has been very, very disappointing. Ells got shelled in the last ten minutes of Game 3 when the Flames got lacksadaisal and pretty much stopped playing. Flames have also been unable to stay out of the box which has costed them as well. Add in that this year's Brouwer and their fourth line is absolute trash, I just don't see them getting much farther and I really don't see Ells having a job in Calgary after this year. As much as I'd love to try and defend the guy due to a Year 3 rebuild team having issues, there were opportunities that some have said was puck luck that I kind of have to disagree with. It happens, but the Flames core look far better than they did a short time ago. They just have to build up. I don't see them winning Game 4, but anything can happen if they simply follow just a little discipline.

So yeah, in short I was wrong. I had told Theohall that Jake Allen would need to dial in .920 or better for the Blues to have a shot in the playoffs or to prove me wrong. Theohall thought I was nuts. Well:

2016-2017 Playoffs .974, .091

At least I was right about that . My only concern is how he handles pressure when it comes down to it. Game 4 will be a good test of that, and if he stays dialed in and healthy, we may actually make the run. As it stands, Jake Allen's the guy and his contract is duly deserved.

Special shout-out to Brodeur because he obviously had a hand in the success of goal tending while in the Note. Quite possibly one off the best acquisitions we've made for the Front Office.

[theohall]

Brian Elliott 2017 playoffs:
Flames are down 0-3
.887 save % (dead last)
3.67 GAA (dead last)

This series has been very, very disappointing. Ells got shelled in the last ten minutes of Game 3 when the Flames got lacksadaisal and pretty much stopped playing. Flames have also been unable to stay out of the box which has costed them as well. Add in that this year's Brouwer and their fourth line is absolute trash, I just don't see them getting much farther and I really don't see Ells having a job in Calgary after this year. As much as I'd love to try and defend the guy due to a Year 3 rebuild team having issues, there were opportunities that some have said was puck luck that I kind of have to disagree with. It happens, but the Flames core look far better than they did a short time ago. They just have to build up. I don't see them winning Game 4, but anything can happen if they simply follow just a little discipline.

So yeah, in short I was wrong. I had told Theohall that Jake Allen would need to dial in .920 or better for the Blues to have a shot in the playoffs or to prove me wrong. Theohall thought I was nuts. Well:

2016-2017 Playoffs .974, .091

At least I was right about that . My only concern is how he handles pressure when it comes down to it. Game 4 will be a good test of that, and if he stays dialed in and healthy, we may actually make the run. As it stands, Jake Allen's the guy and his contract is duly deserved.

Special shout-out to Brodeur because he obviously had a hand in the success of goal tending while in the Note. Quite possibly one off the best acquisitions we've made for the Front Office.

So Allen hasn't handled pressure, yet? Seriously?

If the Blues were playing better offensively, it wouldn't all be on Allen and the .940 thing wouldn't be necessary. It's only necessary thanks to lack of offense. I was confident Allen could play at this level, unlike this other poster who claimed Allen never won anything at any level.

[Oaklandblue]

Brian Elliott 2017 playoffs:
Flames are down 0-3
.887 save % (dead last)
3.67 GAA (dead last)

This series has been very, very disappointing. Ells got shelled in the last ten minutes of Game 3 when the Flames got lacksadaisal and pretty much stopped playing. Flames have also been unable to stay out of the box which has costed them as well. Add in that this year's Brouwer and their fourth line is absolute trash, I just don't see them getting much farther and I really don't see Ells having a job in Calgary after this year. As much as I'd love to try and defend the guy due to a Year 3 rebuild team having issues, there were opportunities that some have said was puck luck that I kind of have to disagree with. It happens, but the Flames core look far better than they did a short time ago. They just have to build up. I don't see them winning Game 4, but anything can happen if they simply follow just a little discipline.

So yeah, in short I was wrong. I had told Theohall that Jake Allen would need to dial in .920 or better for the Blues to have a shot in the playoffs or to prove me wrong. Theohall thought I was nuts. Well:

2016-2017 Playoffs .974, .091

At least I was right about that . My only concern is how he handles pressure when it comes down to it. Game 4 will be a good test of that, and if he stays dialed in and healthy, we may actually make the run. As it stands, Jake Allen's the guy and his contract is duly deserved.

Special shout-out to Brodeur because he obviously had a hand in the success of goal tending while in the Note. Quite possibly one off the best acquisitions we've made for the Front Office.

So Allen hasn't handled pressure, yet? Seriously?

If the Blues were playing better offensively, it wouldn't all be on Allen and the .940 thing wouldn't be necessary. It's only necessary thanks to lack of offense. I was confident Allen could play at this level, unlike this other poster who claimed Allen never won anything at any level.

Allen is behind the top Defense in the playoffs, bar none and when that D has failed, he hasn't; He's made some really amazing saves this series and has bailed us out and literally robbed the Wild at many turns. He's gotten his revenge and I'm really happy for that. But things don't get easier from here and this team isn't scoring goals consistently enough to make it easier on him or the defense. From where I'm sitting, unless our offense ignites with Stastny returning, we live and die by Jake Allen and I can honestly say I'm comfortable with that.

The whole 'Has Allen handled pressure yet' question is a silly one: It only gets harder from here. We are entering into uncharted territory and I'm willing to bet on Allen, but my concern about him being able to handle mounting pressure is not some knee-jerk concern, you know, this is a first for him too; it's not the NCAA, the AHL or whatever have you, this is the NHL and on the other end of the run is the most storied trophy in sports. How he handles that pressure, to me, dictates our fortunes.

If I was Yeo, I'd be on the offense to improve and I'd continue to forget we got some guy name Jori Lehtera on the roster.

[Toasted Oates]

It's tough not to feel for Elliott. Gets yanked after giving up one goal on a bad angle last night and, as Oakland points out, his days in Calgary are likely finished.

I can't imagine him commanding much in free agency or a situation where he would go into camp as a starting goaltender. The guy took a chance on himself with the trade request and lost.

[glen a richter]

Where he ends up may depend on who winds up losing a goalie to Vegas. I would have thought Dallas was a possibility but I seriously doubt he'd play for Hitch again. Hell, maybe he'll just sign with Vegas as a FA. He might also look good backing up Thomas Greiss for the Islanders.

[theohall]

If Vegas doesn't wind up with Fleury from the Penguins, I'll be surprised - unless the Penguins manage to trade him before the expansion draft and acquire someone to expose. Currently, they have to expose Fleury or Murray and there is no one else under contract which meets the eligibility criteria for the draft.

[WaukeeBlues]

Oh my oh my what a difference a year makes.

That is all.

We trade two of our, at the time, most important players in Shatty and Elliott and not only get a return for them, make the team arguably BETTER after said trades.

Nuts.

[glen a richter]

Pfft, Shattenkirk. All he was doing was holding back the actual talent. Great trade.