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How a prospect performs in any level of playoffs goes a long way to predicting the long term impact of said player. Does he come through? Exceed expectations? Or does the player's production tail off? Calgarypuck.com takes a look at the Saint John Flames after their first round playoff sweep.

Saint John Playoff Statistics

Calgary Flames fans were able to taste playoff success this past week, albeit vicariously through their Saint John counterparts, when the Baby Flames quickly dispatched the Portland Pirates in three games.

The series victory wasn't a surprise by any stretch of the imagination, as the Flames were heavily favoured, but the sweep and the fashion in which it was achieved was a very good sign that the young club is ready for the long AHL playoff haul.

Statistics: Who's Making A Difference

Point Production

Player	Total Points				Points Per Game
Player	2001	Rank	Post	Rank	2001	Post	Diff.	Rank
Varlamov	48	5	4	1	0.923	1.333	0.41	3
Begin	24	12	3	2	0.436	1.000	0.56	1
Scoville	45	6	3	2	0.616	1.000	0.38	4
Walser	51	3	3	2	0.699	1.000	0.30	6
Botterill	33	8	2	5	0.550	0.667	0.11	8
Clark	35	7	2	5	0.729	0.667	-0.06	10
Montador	6	15	2	5	0.109	0.667	0.55	2
Murray	75	1	2	5	1.389	0.667	-0.72	15
Betts	25	11	1	9	0.347	0.333	-0.01	9
Dupont	29	9	1	9	0.453	0.333	-0.12	12
Elomo	29	9	1	9	0.420	0.333	-0.08	11
St.Croix	4	16	1	9	0.061	0.333	0.27	7
Doull	10	14	0	14	0.217	0.000	-0.21	14
Fata	49	4	0	14	0.731	0.000	-0.73	17
Mrozik	16	13	0	14	0.216	0.000	-0.21	13
Roche	55	2	0	14	0.724	0.000	-0.72	16

Sergei Varlamov leads the Saint John Flames with four points in the three games. He was ranked fifth on the club in points during the regular season. His point per game average increased by 0.410 from the regular season to the post season.

Steve Begin is probably the biggest positive surprise on the team. He had only 24 points in the regular season but already has three in the post season. His PPG increase of .564 is the highest positive difference for Saint John.

The biggest negative surprises to this point are Rico Fata and Marty Murray. Fata is pointless in three games after acquiring 49 during the season. Murray has only two points after amassing 75 in the regular season.

Goal Scoring

Player	Total Goals				Goals Per Game
Player	2001	Rank	Post	Rank	2001	Post	Diff.	Rank
Varlamov	19	4	3	1	0.365	1.000	0.63	2
Begin	12	9	3	1	0.218	1.000	0.78	1
Scoville	15	7	1	3	0.205	0.333	0.12	4
Walser	18	5	1	3	0.247	0.333	0.08	5
Clark	18	5	1	3	0.375	0.333	-0.04	9
Betts	11	10	1	3	0.153	0.333	0.18	3
Botterill	13	8	0	7	0.217	0.000	-0.21	14
Montador	1	15	0	7	0.018	0.000	-0.01	8
Murray	24	2	0	7	0.444	0.000	-0.44	17
Dupont	8	12	0	7	0.125	0.000	-0.12	12
Elomo	9	11	0	7	0.130	0.000	-0.13	13
St.Croix	0	16	0	7	0.000	0.000	0.00	6
Doull	2	14	0	7	0.043	0.000	-0.04	10
Fata	23	3	0	7	0.343	0.000	-0.34	15
Mrozik	5	13	0	7	0.068	0.000	-0.06	11
Roche	29	1	0	7	0.382	0.000	-0.38	16

Once again, Sergei Varlamov and Steve Begin have been the most pleasant surprises offensively. Both players failed to top the 20 goal mark in the regular season but have three in three games in the post season.

A first round sweep is impressive given that the team's three regular season twenty-plus goal scorers (Dave Roche, Marty Murray, and Rico Fata) have failed to get on the board.

Shots On Goal

Player	Total Shots				Shots Per Game
Player	2001	Rank	Post	Rank	2001	Post	Diff.	Rank
Varlamov	196	4	17	1	3.769	5.667	1.89	3
Walser	218	2	17	1	2.986	5.667	2.68	1
Clark	157	8	14	3	3.271	4.667	1.39	5
Montador	105	13	13	4	1.909	4.333	2.42	2
Roche	243	1	12	5	3.197	4.000	0.80	8
Begin	108	12	11	6	1.964	3.667	1.70	4
Fata	205	3	11	6	3.060	3.667	0.60	9
Murray	168	5	9	8	3.111	3.000	-0.11	13
Elomo	145	9	9	8	2.101	3.000	0.89	7
Scoville	161	6	8	10	2.205	2.667	0.46	10
Mrozik	97	14	7	11	1.311	2.333	1.02	6
Dupont	159	7	7	11	2.484	2.333	-0.15	14
Botterill	133	10	5	13	2.217	1.667	-0.55	17
Betts	131	11	5	13	1.819	1.667	-0.15	15
St.Croix	75	15	4	15	1.136	1.333	0.19	11
Doull	40	16	1	16	0.870	0.333	-0.53	16

Sergei Varlamov and Derek Walser both lead the team with 17 shots on goal in three games, a startling 5.667 shots per game average. Both players were within the team's top five during the regular season.

Steve Montador is somewhat of a surprise with 13 shots on goal in the playoffs, given he only had 105 through the regular season in 55 games.

Â Plus/Minus

Player	2001	Rank	Post	Rank
Clark	22	7	5	1
Montador	4	14	5	1
Scoville	15	8	5	1
Walser	26	2	2	4
Fata	7	11	2	4
Betts	5	13	2	4
Roche	15	8	1	7
Begin	13	10	1	7
Murray	27	1	1	7
Elomo	-1	16	1	7
Botterill	23	6	1	7
Dupont	25	4	0	12
St.Croix	7	11	0	12
Doull	-1	16	0	12
Brochu	0	15	0	12
Varlamov	26	2	-1	16
Mrozik	24	5	-2	17

Three players lead the team in plus/minus at plus five. Only two players have a minus ranking, including Sergei Varlamov who leads most offensive categories.

Team Stats and Tidbits

Saint John just below the league average of 3,527 fans attending per home game with 3,456
Saint John was the sixth most penalized team, with a game average of 19.7 minutes. Portland finished second with an average of 23.3 per game.
Saint John scored five of its ten first round goals in the second period.
Saint John outshot Portland 150 to 85 in their first round series.
The Baby Flames had the AHL's 11^th most prolific playoff powerplay, at 12.5%
The penalty killing was ranked 4^th at 89.5%
Saint John finished first with only 1.67 goal allowed per game. They finished fourth in goals for average with 3.33
Saint John average 50 shots for per game (1^st), and 28.3 shots against (5^th).
Brochu leads all goaltenders with a gaa. of 1.35. Brochu is third in save percentage at .941.