The Flames begin their playoff run on Wednesday. While everybody has already dismissed the team's chances of any success whatsoever, I'm saying "Hold the phone!". There are some arguments to be made FOR the Flames making some noise. Here's a few points to consider:
Owen Nolan playing against old team.
Nolan has been ramping up his game, under the radar, during the last half of the season. He has a vendetta streak in him (remember the vigilante justice he laid on Grant Marshall?) which makes him a valuable asset in the playoffs. What's more, Nolan represents a distinct type of player that Keenan can use in his battle of wits against Ron Wilson, a relative neophyte.
Familiar territory for Keenan.
Keenan is the 5th most winningest playoff coach in the NHL. For whatever his short-comings, you can't dismiss his playoff pedigree. He has been around the block a few times. This is the intangible that gives an edge to the Flames: when to kick a player's behind, when to pat another's back, when to rest, when to run a bag-skate. During the game, there's also a chess match going on. Keenan's seen it all.
Better second line.
No question that the Sharks have a lock on the first line matchup. The Michalek-Thornton-Cheechoo line seems to dwarf the Tanguay-Langkow-Iginla offering in obvious ways. The same can't be said for the second line. I like the idea of a Huselius-Lombardi-Nolan combo over the Sharks' Marleau-Pavelski-Setoguchi trio. Nolan on that second line adds an element of complexity for Ron Wilson, should he choose to deploy a checking line against the Flames second line. But what about Setoguchi and his torrid scoring streaks, you ask? Well, I would respond, the playoffs are a different animal. The playoffs are a gut-check time that usually favours the guy with experience.
Iginla and Kipper have a "playoff gear"
See Exhibit A: the playoff run of 2004. The defense rests.
Flames have beaten the Sharks 3 of 4 times this season.
I realize that I poo-poo'ed regular season stats when talking about Setoguchi, however, I can't help but think that having a winning record against the team helps the team realize that their opponent has been beaten before by them, so why not again? Been there, done that. And, also, the games that the Flames won were all one-goal games. This should be evidence to the players that they can grind one out for 60 minutes. But, I don't know. I don't have a huge amount of stock on this point, its just one I thought I'd bring up, lump it in with the rest.
There is little question that Calgary is behind the ol' eight-ball this year, but by no means is this David versus Goliath.
4 comments:
Pretty bold statement considering you picked SJ in my playoff pool!
You were bang on with Nolan, but your missing factor appears to be Cujo as the backup who could.
I don't think anyone could have foreseen Cujo being the X Factor of this series.
Kipper usually responds well when sitting out or getting pulled.
Wow. What a series.
You bet on the Sharks? Doesn't the City have sort of policy to deal with this type of employee behavioural problem?
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