Flames back in the playoffs
 

The 7-year itch has been scratched, baby! Woohoo!!!!

I've been waiting soooooooooooo long for this.

I'm the happiest guy ever. :D :D :D :D

Hopefully they can make it out of the first round

i want to see a canadian team in the cup final.... even if its someone like the Leafs... ugh

The Leafs will be in the final, once they knock-out those stinkin Sens.

GO Flames!!

All the way to the cup baby!!!

I predict an all Canadian final, Flames edging out the Sens to bring the cup back home. :D

edit to add that after tonight it looks like we may have to send Vancouver packing for the first round. GO FLames!!! :D

you're dreamin' right?

Him and silent_jay.

I'm just hoping that the Sens get over there rut at the right time before the playoffs begin. It would be great to see all Canadian teams in the first round.

Well, it's possible..
The Nucks haven't been the same since Big Baby Bert got suspended..
plus when you add Dan "Choke" Cloutier to the mix, it makes for an easier opponent.

Plus the Flames are riding high.. you can be sure they'll be hungry as hell for some wins.

anything is possible in the play-offs, it doesn't matter that a team is hot or in a slump before they start.
It would be great to see all Canadian teams in the play-offs as long as the sens weren't there.

Anything IS possible. And we'll see who's dreaming after Van falls victim to the flames in the first round. ;)

Flames are red hot!!

I was in Calgary back in '89 when they won the cup and its been tough to see them struggle these past few years. This feels real good right now, but its only the beginning. With Iginla and Kiprusoff playing well, I wouldn't bet against the Flames no matter who they're playing.

Senators will sweep everyone they play against guys, they are the powerhouse of the east, even stronger then tampa bay. Whether or not they will beat detroit for the cup, i don't reallly know.

The Sens are way too inconsistent to be called a superpower, they're a damn fine team, but sometimes it seems they all just shut off. This becomes even more apparent in the playoffs. Their chances are 50/50 at best, given how close the standings have been right to the end of the season, and that Ottawa will probably end up facing Toronto in the first round, that always spells trouble.

The canucks are getting used to life without Bertuzzi

they're playing some fantastic hockey right now, and Cloutier is playing some stellar hockey right now... he only let in one against the Ducks and that was off a huge fluke shot that was 15 feet wide of the net that bounced off a player and in

Sanderson is fantastic, Naslund is back in the mix

they will give good competition to anyone they face

Sens sweep everyone, how can this be? Won't happen like rockzilla said they are far too inconsistent, and so far unproven in the playoffs, especially against the Leafs, but in the playoffs as a whole. The Lightning aren't exactly proven playoff performers either.

I agree Ace_O_Spades the Canucks are playing great hockey right now, and I hope they keep it up, I want Clouthier to prove some of his doubters wrong.

Its gonna be the SHARKS!!!!

Besides when we're done with some of our other players the Flames can have them too! You've got our Ex-Coach (Sutter), our ex-goaltender (Kipprusoff) and at least 3 ex forwards. (Donavan, Lyons & Lowry)

All people the Sharks didn't need to win the Pacific and get 2nd in the conference.

I'm a huge Canucks fan and I completly agree with Ace O Spades. The nucks are pulling it together. Sanderson is on fire, and like you said Naslund is getting his groove back. We have pulled back up to first in the northwest, and I am confident going into playoffs. This might be the year?

Overall, this has been a great hockey season in terms of the majority of teams performance in the NHL, (we'll leave out all the stupid 'incidents' for another discussion). Here's hoping that Edmonton can get into the first round and have all Canadian teams moving on for the frist time in a long time.
This is going to be one hell of a great playoff race, no matter who makes it to the Final round.

Powerhouse of the east are they, sweep everyone will they, 6-0 isn't exactly the way a "powerhouse" plays right before the playoffs, at least the Sens are starting to choke early this year. See why hockey shouldn't be played in Florida, they make screwed up decesions like saying the Sens will sweep everyone, hehehehehe yeah right.

I had been pretty impressed by Martin Prusek all season, but after being pulled twice in the past 3 games, and Ray Emery not doing any better, it's clear that Lalime is Ottawa's #1 guy, and he hasn't had a very good season this year either.
From the looks of things (Boston's winning it's last game right now) we're going to see Ottawa-Toronto in round 1. Hopefully Jacques Martin does something to the Sens, I don't think I can bear seeing (and hearing about) another Toronto playoff win.
It's a shame about Edmonton missing out on the playoffs, part of me wanted them to win, but part of me wanted to see Vancouver take the division title from Colorado, who I hate with a passion.

wow this thread sure got jacked by ottawa fans haha


i wonder how calgary will finish the season off against Anaheim... im excited to see if the canucks will face them

Keep in mind my comment was made before they played toronto =P But still, they haven't played a playoff game yet..

Oh i just happen to live in florida, grew up in minnesota.

haha, no kidding. Only like 5 of the comments are about Calgary.
They're doing pretty good so far against Anaheim. Iginla picked up a shortie and Turek's looked good. He and Kiprusoff should make a good combo in the playoffs.

awesome! I hope i can get out to a playoff game this year... but DAMN the tickets are expensive

they might as well jack this thread, because their team isn't going to do anything, so they can keep talking.

Heh...no doubt.;)

Said it before and I'll say it again, Flames will take down the nucks in the first round. No way is Cloutier any match for Kipper.

Gonna be a great series, but the Flames will win and go onto Stanley Cup glory!!!:D

Give a guy a nickname like "kipper" and people think he is great they only made the playoffs to get out of the first round is another question, he is no match for Clouthier and all you doubters will soon see that.

Cloutier is playing some great hockey right now

and he had another solid year

so barring ANOTHER post season meltdown we should roll the Flames

I would like to have a moment of silence for the Edmonton Oilers. It won't be the same in the playoffs without them. I'm a Red Wings fan first and for most, but I love the way Edmonton plays the game, and I love the type of players that they continue to pick up. If only they could have kept Doug Weight there, the team could really use him.

You're seriously giving credit to the nickname for people thinking he's great?

I suppose Mikka Kiprosoff getting the modern day record for GAA, best save pct. has nothing to do with it. He has everything to prove and is as consistent as they come, only question if can he handle playoff pressure.

No match to Dan Cloutier? I think you're off there. Cloutier is inconsistent at best.

I guess we'll see soon enough how it all pans out but there's no question that the flames come to the table with the better tenders.

It's gonna be a great series, no doubt. There's no love lost between these teams. Go Flames!!

He only played 38 games I should hope he can win enough of those games to get a record, (although to me he is not deserving), Roloson only played 48 games and was second and Turco played 70 some games, to finish third, now as for Clouthier being inconsistent, when has Kiprussof proven himself? You say he is consistent yet where in the playoffs has he showed this?

I also said that the "only question was if he could handle playoff pressure?"

He's shown his consistancy with his 1.69 GAA and .933 SV%. Wins to losses are pretty good as well but the stats I speak of have nothing to do with winning games.

Perhaps my comment about Cloutier being inconsistent at best wasn't totally fair. It's just my humble opinion that Kiprusoff is the better goalie, proven in the playoffs or not. Plus Turek's been stepping up to the job lately as well.

he had a 1.69 GAA and .933 SV% in 38 games that is all, maybe if he can play more than half a season or more I'll change my mind, but this record for "modern day" GAA and SV% really means nothing to me, because as mentioned before he only played 38 games. If he was a workhorse goalie like Belfour, Brodeur, Roy, or Turco maybe I'd think otherwise, but 38 games not enough.

should and will..........

Fair enough, you don't think he's proved himself. Well in that case why don't we just compare our BACKUP goailie with Cloutier.

Turek has a 2.31 Average with 328 games played in his career regular season. For playoff experience he has a 2.27 with 21 games played.

Cloutier has a 2.64 Average with 305 games played in his career regular season and a 3.43 for his 22 games in the playoffs.

Games wise those are some pretty fair comparrisons and that's with our backup goailie. Maybe you'll want to blame that on Turek's nickname as well? Afterall he's got a pretty cool nickame, Large? ;)

I'm not blaming anything on nicknames maybe I should make things more clearly for you, I didn't realize you thought that was my reasoning. So your back up is better on paper than Clouthier big deal, on paper thr Rangers are one of the best teams in the league but on the ice the blow, and I like how you shift things to suit you, I never mentioned Turek, although I am impressed that you took the time to read stats, so your comparrison means nothing to me, we were discussing Kiprusof and how you thought he was great, and his modern day record big deal

lol, maybe you missed the little winky face next to the nickname jab, aferall you did say "Give a guy a nickname like "kipper" and people think he is great.."

Anyway, that's just a joke. You don't think that kippers stats prove he's a good goalie, fair enough. You can't argue that of the 38 games he has played he's made some amazing saves and kept the Flames alive. He is a great goalie. He does have to prove himself in the playoffs, but Cloutier has yet to prove himself in the postseason as well.

I'm not shifting anything to suit me, I'm mearly trying to make the point that Kippersoff is worthy of being called a great goalie by showing that Turek, as a backup has some impressive stats. To play a goalie with those kind of stats as a backup you gotta think that at the least Sutter is convinced that Kipper's a good goalie.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching the series. Calgary are the underdogs, I know that. You gotta realize that we haven't been here for 7 years and we're freakin pumped about being here and positive about our chances of going far.

ya I did miss the winky face, sorry about that. He did make some great saves to keep the Flames alive throughout the regular season, but I wouldn't consider him a great goalie, but I reserve the word great for goalies like Bower, Hall, Sawchuck, Worsley, I would consider him a good goalie though. I too am looking forward to the series, and a little part of me does want the Flames to win, I too usually cheer for the underdogs, but a series with 2 Canadian teams in it, always makes it hard to pick a favorite, unless it's the Sens and Leafs then Leafs all the way.

The thing about Cloutier is, he's a well-known playoff choker.. History has shown that.

While Kiprusoff has almost no playoff experience, I'd rather him walk in with no reputation at all than a reputation for sucking it up in the playoffs.

he better not fuck up my beer drinkin' while watchin' the games man.i've got a spot ready to party at.......and i plan on bein' there through a few series.

if he chokes AGAIN this year........i'll go pack his fucking bags for him.

he won't let you down this year fly have some confidence.

Just managed to score some tickets to game 4 here in Calgary. Shitty nosebleed seats but I'm in the building. woooohooo!!!

Dome's gonna be rocking!!!

Go Flames Go!!!

I know what you mean. I just got tickets to game 2 of the Red Wings/Preds, and not only are they nose bleeds, I think I've got a damn pole in my way :)

Oh well, it will be well worth the hassle to be part of the playoff atmosphere.

You guys are so lucky and I am so jealous, I would love to be at either game enjoy guys.

Is anyone else watching this game 1? man... this officiating is laughable

hopefully the canucks can hold on in the 3rd

Man the officiating always goes to hell in the playoffs, I mean is obstruction still a penalty or do they only call borderline penalties and let the blatant ones go? They should publish this other rule book that they seem to use in the palyoffs so the rest of us can know what is and is not a penalty.

Gotta agree with the officiating. Terrible.

Gotta give it to Cloutier so far he seems strong. Here's hoping he chokes. ;)

C'mon Flames!! Gotta stop taking all these penelties, they're killing us.

Go Flames!!!

It's so hard for me to cheer for a team when it's 2 Canadian teams playing each other, unless it's the Sens versus anyone.

Well, the canucks sure made short work of those flames

here's to hoping we can cruise on to greener pastures - the second round

it's just game 1 and it was a game the canucks had to win more than the flames. The flames can come back and win game 2 and they'll be in great position. The penalties just killed them tonight.

Every team has to win just as much as the next team, there is not one team who had to win a game more than the other. Now that being said I personally feel that the visiting team has always had more pressure to take the first game in the other teams barn to at least ensure the all crucial split.

Ughhh.. the reffing was pathetic in that game.

15 penalties?
It was almost half the game on special teams. Pathetic..

We need Stephane Yelle back really badly..

Gotta agree if the reffing is like this all playoffs it could be disgusting to watch, yea more clutching and grabbing.

the first game is ours..............the reffing absolutely sucked......and that little prick cloutier actually had a good game.

go nucks..........

Stop bitching about the reffing. Both teams admitted that they came out to agressive, and tomorrow are going to play more disaplined hockey. Each team had penalties called against them, it wasn't one sided, and each team had goals on there powerplay. The refs were obviously trying to make a statement, and expect less penalties on friday. GO NUCKS

A team in the playoffs can come out too aggressive in the first game, are you serious, and because the refs spread around the shitty penalties that makes it okay? The refs are trying to make a statement from the first 4 games that I watched,and that statement is that they have their hads shoved up their asses rather far. Maybe you meant undisciplined instead of aggressive, because aggression is part of this lovely game.

Christ! The only statment the refs made is they don't know what the hell they are doing.
Fuck me that was bad!

oh yea...GO CANUCKS!

I don't see anybody bitching that the reffing was one-sided.. just that it was.. BAD. Bad calls at bad times, taking away any flow from the game.

exactly

Yep, you nailed it..

just like the canucks are gonna nail the flames tonight ......again....

WORD to that. I'm starting my countdown 8 more hours to go until the towel power whiteout at the garage. GO CANUCKS.

man... the atmosphere at the garage is purely electric... everybody is going nuts! i swear to god the entire city is into it as well... you cant go two blocks without seeing multiple cars with canucks flags in the windows

Great game tonight. Refs were iffy again, esspecially on that nucks goal (flame away) But all in all it was a great game.

Bring on the home ice. Go Flames Go!!

From the Calgary Sun: "Chants of "Calgary sucks" started moments after the opening faceoff but those were muted by a pair of quick Flames goals."
The refs definitely weren't good again, though i still don't think it was one-sided.
The Flames are in great position now. They got the split and now should feel great going back home to take control of this thing.

Tee hee!

quiet you... :p

Kiprusoff, like any goalie would, dove on that play in which Jovo bumped him - he played it along alot. Simon[s?] ran Cloutiers stick out of the net on the other goal, so you really have nothing to whine about.

GO LEAFS GO WooooooooooHooooooooooooooo

Wow Leafs lose and it's everywhere, everyone's happy, my Leafs win and this place is as deserted as the OK Coral, Sens looked shaky, the Leafs are getting into their heads again. So I listen to this shitty local station to get the games sometimes, and they are saying CBC is all for Toronto (which they are), and these guys are so obvlivious to their own biased as well that they actually think they call a fair game, they are so hockey stupid it isn't funny, the Domi hit on Hossa last night was dirty, but according to them the Alfredson hit on Tucker a couple of years ago was one of the best ever, just terrible announcers. Refs are still terrible for BOTH sides, I mean come on let's get some flow to these games, and for christ sake can the refs learn what obstruction is and stick to that definition instead of calling what they think is obstruction, 2 refs make it better my ass.

This is why i love best of seven in hockey

the series can change so rapidly over the course of three games

I don't buy that as a goalie he dove out of the net with the puck out in front. I'm sure that afterwards he didn't do anything to play it down that's for sure but diving? don't think so.

Simon was pushed into the crease and took out Cloutier's stick with his foot. Granted he didn't go out of his way to lift his foot out of the way but he didn't purposly go into Cloutier.

Anyways, I'm not whining, when it comes down to it, it's the refs call and that's what stands. Games over bring on number 3.

The dome'll be rockin tonight, can't wait. :thumbsup:


Go FLAMES GO!!!

Well, I just figure maybe the CBC and the Toronto Sports Network provide enough cheerleading already. ;)

Most local broadcasts root for the home team don't they? I know they do around here. The CBC is a national station that roots for the Leafs. Most people I know have a problem with that...

Canucks just won game three 2-1...woohoo!

Yeah that was an intense game...could of easily gone either way. My hands were certainly sweaty during the last 10 minutes. ;)

GO CANUCKS!

Man vancouver is gonna be rockin when they come back

I think Calgary takin it to them tomorrow night might take a little wind outta their sails. ;)

I think that this series might go the distance. It's been a great one so far. I think Calgary should just start declining powerplays though and stay at 5 on 5. Not much there on our powerplays so far.

They'll come out hitting hard tomorrow though and be a little more relaxed after last nights game. I'll be there in the C of red cheering them on. :thumbsup:

GO FLAMES GO!!!

How long has the CBC been showing a Leafs game on Saturday nights, a long time I just hate biased announcers who happen to be idiots about the game as well, at least if you are going to be biased learn about the game first.

good game for Van City last night, hope Cloutier can come back but Hedberg is alright, should be interesting, Hope Domi rips that piece of shit Varada's head off that'll learn him for going after Mats, Darcy will be in fine form tonight driving the Sens crazy, maybe the worst fighter in the NHL will do something about it ah wait Neil is a pussy he can't hit can't fight maybe they are looking for cheerleaders.

Hedberg played great after Cloutier went out. The Flames had some chances but just couldn't get it done. Their powerplay was indeed horrible, especially in comparison to Vancouver's. Vancouver's got the edge now and the Flames need the next one to stay in it.

it looks like Cloutier's done for the playoffs... i dont really know how to take this

is Hedberg up for the challenge?

I don't think it matters if the CBC has been playing Leafs games a long time, the fact that it's funded by public dollars (taxes) means it should be unbiased. TSN is private and they can support whatever team they like.
I agree with you about idiot annoucers, watch a FOX sports broadcast and you'll see plenty of em. ;)

edit...sorry bout the threadjack..
Have a good one..

Because the greater population of Canada is found in southern ontario, than it would only make sence that they focus on the Leafs. Not to mention the studio is found in TO. It doesn't bother me tho, they play plenty of other games, and the opinions are not noticably biast that I really can see.

turn the sound on your tv off............

...........and dial in your local radio station that covers the game.



go canucks go..............the calgary flamers are goin' down.

i hope so man............i hope so...

Really, I forgot about FOX, I just remembered that stupid glowing puck, because the Americans couldn't see the black puck on the white ice.

Hope Hedbergs up to the challenge

Me... I hope he(Hedberg) crumbles under the pressure and opens up like a cive(sp?). He seemed fairly strong for the finish of game 3 but I believe now that the weight of what he's stepping in to do has set in he'll get rattled and fall apart.

I'll be there in the C of Red tonight to make sure he does. ;)

GO FLAMES GO!!!

If Calgary doesn't win tonight, i'm going to be very, very disappointed.

Can't afford to be down 3-1 in the series.. we'll have to pull a Minny. Look for Iggy and Kipper to step it up big time tonight.

I'm gonna have to add in another mandatory GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!!!! Was up at 3am to watch the last game, and will be again tonight, oh how i miss being back in Vancouver! And yes I think that The Moose (Hedberg) will be up for it... I hoped that he was #1 for this season at the start. Best wishes to Clouts though on a quick recovery and well... then there is Alex Auld...

***GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!***

I remember some of the best TV hockey I ever watched was last year during the playoffs. The French CBC channel was broadcasting a game, but they had no announcer, so they just turned up the ice sounds really loud, so all you heard were the players and the fans.

I really hope Hedburg is up to the challenge; he looked strong in game 3. Apparently they're supposed to make an announcement about Cloutier once they come back to Vancouver in preparation for game 4.

EDIT: Forgot the customary GO CANUCKS GO! ;)

Game 5 ;)
Hehe

Err yeah, you know what I mean :p

just about puck drop time...............later calgary flamers....




*GO CANUCKS GO*

(i heard it was customary)

Great performance by the Flames, just total domination. The Flames needed this one and they went out and got it.
It'll be interesting to see if Cloutier will come back in Game 5. Hedberg played pretty well, but the Canucks surely could use Cloutier in goal next time.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Freakin Hooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!


Yeah baby, put it in the win column!!! That was freakin electrifying!!! Just got home from the best hockey game I've ever personally witnessed. That crowd was unbeleivable. Loud as hell from an hour before the game well past the end!!!

4-freakin nothin'

Hedberg's rattled along with the rest of those canucks.

Go Flames Go!!!!!

What he said. :D

wow... what a shelling

time to regroup

So now Cloutier is popular again? Good job Flames, they needed this game.

Popular? Cloutier is the starting goaltender, he led the canucks to the playoffs. No matter how much he is known to choak, or how unreliable is, he is the one who will win or lose this series for the canucks. It will be interesting to see game 5, these teams are matched pretty evenly, and its coming down to who wants it more.

Cloutier was flown home from Calgary due to the injury to his knee

i'd say that makes a pretty solid case for him being out for at LEAST the next two rounds assuming they make it that far

Hedberg is not as good as Cloutier... we're totally fucked

I heard on the score that it is actually a injury to his ankle not his knee. All that I heard is that he will be out for all of the first round forsure. And who knows how much longer. Poor Clouts.