Flames Fall Flat in Game Seven
Sharks 5 - Flames 3
Daniel Lemmon
April 22nd, 2008
The Calgary Flames had their backs up against the wall on Sunday night
facing elimination for the first time in the series and they came out
and made the San Jose Sharks look like a shell of their former selves.
So heading into game 7 the pressure was squarely on the Sharks, the
momentum was in Calgary's court and something had to give.
Red Mile Déjà vu?
Calgary vs. San Jose - Game 7 preview
Jason Parkin
April 21st, 2008
Do you remember April 17th, 2004? Game 6 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in Calgary; the Flames were leading the series three games to two and had the chance to garner the series win on home ice and earn a date with the Detroit Red Wings in Round number two. As you all recall, Vancouver won that game in triple overtime and forced a game 7 ... sending Flames fans home heartbroken, wondering what could've been. But at the end of the day, after the sting had subsided everyone was proud of the effort in the series and whatever happened in game 7 wouldn't sour the experience. A win would've been great, but people could have accepted a loss and still be overjoyed with just making the playoffs and making it to game seven. Well ... what happened after that night transformed the city, and revitalized the whole professional hockey scene in Calgary as the team marched straight to the Stanley Cup Final, eventually running out of gas in game seven against Tampa Bay. That run left a lasting impression on the city that could never again be duplicated...
Molson Canadian & The Calgarypuck "True Fan" Molson Supported Contest
D'Arcy McGrath
April 17th, 2008
The playoffs are on
with the Calgary Flames in the midst of an entertaining first round
match up with the San Jose Sharks, a series that has a 2004 feel more
than any other since that fateful fun four years ago.
With an
exciting series comes excited fans, and passion, and Molson Canadian is
front and center in looking for the very best in Flames Nation. In fact
they encourage you to grow your best Flames Facial Follicles and get
your Beard to the Bar!
This search has brought them to
Calgarypuck.com, naturally, as Molson wants to support Calgarypuck and
it's fan base for the Flames' march hopefully deep into the playoffs. --[more]--
Flames Refuse To Go Quietly Into the Night Flames 2 Sharks 0
D'Arcy McGrath
April 20th, 2008
With Mother Nature on your side, how can you lose?
The
Calgary Flames returned to their Canadian local after a great effort in
game five, despite the 4-3 setback on the score board with their backs
planted firmly on the wall. However, with seven inches of snow in the
offing, the climate was unwilling to let the hockey season go and the
Flames were only too happy to oblige in a complete game 2-0 victory
over the heavily favoured San Jose Sharks.
The setting now
switches to the no snow NoCal city of San Jose with the Flames just 60
minutes from an improbably upset that very well could harken back to
2004.
So enough Mother Nature, we get your support, but lets get back to playoffs in flip flops, the way the Hockey Gods intended.
--[more]--
Sharks Edge Flames in Game 5
San Jose 4 Calgary 3
Jason Parkin
April 17th, 2008
They say game 4 is the most crucial game of a 7 game series, and that
the winner of that game will more often than not dictate the eventual
winner of the series. Well the Flames blew a late lead in that pivotal
game 4, and San Jose walked out of the Saddledome with a split in
Calgary and all sorts of confidence heading home to the HP Pavilion for
game 5. The Flames have been an ornery bunch every since Tuesday night,
with reports of an Iginla-Preston shouting match taking place
yesterday, and quotes from Robyn Regehr today calling out his
team-mates without naming names. But we all know who he is talking
about (Huselius and Tanguay to start with). The fire seems to be there,
the passion seems to be back after a brief hiatus, and the players and
coaches seem ready for a rough and tumble affair in game 5. --[more]--
Tightness, Part 4.
Game 4 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Round 1
Flames 2 Sharks 3
Loren Brown
April 16th, 2008
An abbreviated Game Takes, a day late, and unfortunately for the Flames, a dollar and goal short.
Flames fans, management, and players all should be happy to return to
the friendly confines of the Pengrowth Saddledome with a split against
a team that the media has been sharp to remind us went on a massive
winning streak after the acquisition of Brian Campbell, a seventh seed
playing a predicted Stanley Cup champion contender, and being massively
out shot in the first two games of the series.
With the "C/sea" of red in full force the Flames should have been able
to come out ready to jump on the jugular of the San Jose Sharks and
make them prove that the Sharks success on the road just might not be
the same in the playoffs. But as we know, this Flames team is one that
has had trouble getting ready to come out prepared for the start of the
game, but as we Flames fans have known all season long, never count the
Flames out.
For anyone who said that this series was going to be an easy win for the Sharks... You have to pay more attention.
--[more]--
Sharks Even Series in Penalty Fest Sharks 2 Flames 0
D'Arcy McGrath
April 10th, 2008
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman made the seven deadly sins
look simply ghastly in the classic movie Seven. From top to bottom,
each and every "sin" scene had many a patron covering their eyes in
absolute fear.
The Flames, a group that have committed a few
sins themselves this season were looking to walk out Greed tonight and
chase down a road start sweep in San Jose, grabbing a choke hold on the
first round series. Winning one is huge for a seventh seed, but winning
two?
In the end it was a Gluttony of penalties that turned a
tight scoreless game into a 2-0 Sharks victory, evening the series at
one ... sending the series back to what is sure to be bedlam at the
Saddledome on Sunday night.
--[more]--
Flames Edge Sharks in Round 1 Opener
Calgary 3 San Jose 2
Jason Parkin
April 9th, 2008
Playoffs are back! Every hockey fan's favorite time of year has finally
arrived, with the Flames punching their ticket to the dance in the
final week of the regular season. The car flags are up, the red jerseys
are out and the city of Calgary is jacked up to a party mode rivaled
only by the Stampede itself. This is Calgary's 4th straight playoff
appearance, and in the previous 3 seasons they played a total of 6
playoff rounds, winning 3 and losing 3, but have failed to advance past
the 1st round in both 2006 and 2007. Will this year by any different?
Most indications say no. The Flames find themselves up against a beast
of an opponent, the best NHL team in the 2nd half of the season, the
San Jose Sharks. The Flames sputtered and surged all season long,
winning streaks followed by losing streaks causing headache and
heartache every step of the way. On paper comparing rosters, it's a
pretty even match-up. Both teams are loaded with top-end talent. For
Iginla there's Thornton. For Kiprusoff there's Nabokov. For Phaneuf
there's Campbell. They have an answer to every one of the Flame's star
players, and conversely, the Flames have an answer to each of theirs.
For 4 days we've seen comparisons, heard the predictions, and tried to
digest all the facts. But the largest fact remains - at least 4 games
of hockey have to be played. Game on!
It's that time of year again. The playoffs are special, they're special when a team
unexpectedly goes the distance, but they're just as exciting when things don't work out.
Getting in means you have a chance. A chance regardless of your method of entry be it charging into the post
season or backing in like some suggest the Flames have done this spring. We start for real tomorrow night, and Calgarypuck
chimes in with their picks for each of the eight series.
Consternation or Evolution
Are the Flames Gearing Up for the Playoffs?
D'Arcy
McGrath
April 3, 2008
A nerve wracking finish to a hockey team's playoff hopes is a great and
exhilarating thing …. once it's over, once it's successful, and both
participants and fans are discussing it over cold ones either the next
day or in cutoffs on a lake dock.
While the event is actually playing out it's pretty much no fun for anyone.
