THE SKINNY: FLAMES VS. OILERS - GAME 1
Thirty-one years later, the Battle of Alberta is back in the playoff spotlight. Let's get after it
Video: Brendan Parker and Tim Hunter tee up Game 1
NEED-TO-KNOW
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GAME DAY VIDEO
ARCHIVE - Game Day Live with Brendan Parker and Tim Hunter
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
Say What - 'Guys React Differently'
AT TUESDAY'S AVAILABILITY
'It's Great For Alberta'
Head Coach Darryl Sutter
Markstrom, Lindholm, Stone & Lucic
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
Head-to-Head Stats
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LEADING SCORERS:
Flames:
1. Johnny Gaudreau (2-6-8)
2. Matthew Tkachuk (1-5-6)
3. Elias Lindholm (3-2-5)
Oilers:
1. Connor McDavid (4-10-14)
2. Evander Kane (7-2-9)
3. Leon Draisaitl (5-4-9)
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Powerplay:
Flames - 8.3% (15th)
Oilers - 36.8% (2nd)
Penalty Kill:
Flames - 91.7% (T-2nd)
Oilers - 87.5% (4th)
Shot Attempts:
Flames - 61.08% (1st)
Oilers - 53.05% (5th)
High-Danger Scoring Chances:
Flames - 60.58% (2nd)
Oilers - 55.62% (5th)
The battle lines have been drawn.
From the players and fans, to family and 'friends,' anyone who has a pulse in our province is keenly invested, one way or the other.
Tonight - after 31 long years - the spectacle returns.
"They might cheer for the Flames, they might cheer for the Oilers," Head Coach Darryl Sutter said of the four-and-a-half million Albertans Tuesday. "Big deal. It's a sport. That's what it's about. It's the best thing ever.
"If you look at it, right, it's perfect? When I say that about all these things - is it important? You're damn right it's important.
"It's great for the league and it's great for Alberta, especially when … with COVID, oil and gas, livestock and agriculture, we've all got smoked here the last two years, so it's great to see that energy and all that positivity."
For now, anyway. The result of Game 1 will surely swing the emotions of at least one half of the population violently in the other direction.
But that's all part of the fun.
The novelty.
This is the Battle of Alberta, after all, and you don't have to look far to learn of its origin.
Hostilities ignite, bubble, and eventually cascade to the surface, leaving a lasting scar for those that were involved some of the nastiest of those infamous, late-80's bouts.
It's a different game now, and while we don't expect the kind of bloodshed that Tim Hunter and Dave Semenko were once embroiled in, the intensity and unyielding passion from the modern-day crew promises to be off the charts.
"The history, the rivalry, all that type of stuff," said Milan Lucic, who's been on both sides of BOA equation. "Feels like everything is more magnified, the fans are more into it, the emotions are more into it, the media and storylines are that much more into it.
"As an as athlete, it's something to look forward to and something to have fun with."
Both the Flames and Oilers are coming off hard-fought, opening-round series' that each went the distance and featured plenty of drama. Johnny Gaudreau played the hero on Sunday, scoring the OT winner as the Flames knocked off the Stars, while Connor McDavid led his club to a 2-0 victory over the LA Kings the night before.
However, this will be a match unlike anything we saw in Round 1.
And that goes for both teams.
Four of the NHL's Top 8 regular-season scorers will take to the ice in this one, with Gaudreau (115 points) and Matthew Tkachuk (104) leading the way for the Flames, while McDavid (123) and Leon Draisaitl (110) carry the mail up north.
No disrespect to the Stars or Kings, but this is a level of offensive firepower that neither could touch. In fact, since Jan. 23, the Flames (32-9-5) and Oilers (30-11-4) were 1-2 in the NHL's overall standings.
Let's get after it.
Video: "Should be fun starting tomorrow night"
No. 99 knows a thing or two about winning, so we're going to trust his opinion on this one.
Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky - now an analyst on TNT in the United States - has officially picked the Flames to beat the Oilers in Round 2.
Gretzky, who correctly picked the eight series winners in Round 1 (along with the number of games it would take in three of those matchups, including Calgary's), filled out his bracket before the playoffs began.
"I'm sure they don't like it," Lucic laughed of the reaction among Oilers fans. "But he's just giving his expert opinion."
That sound you hear is a collective sigh of relief in the C of Red.
Chris Tanev was back on the ice and was a full participant in Tuesday's practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Tanev (undisclosed) did not play in Sunday's Game 7 after leaving the previous tilt midway through following a scary incident that saw Stars forward Michael Raffl land awkwardly on his back.
But the man is a warrior.
Last year, the 6-foot-2, 197-lb. blueliner completed the full slate, but it was later revealed he played through those 'meaningless' games with broken ribs and a torn pectoral muscle.
It takes a lot to keep him down.
FOR MORE, CHECK OUT TONIGHT'S MEDIA GAME NOTES
'JUST' VIBES
Milan Lucic may have said it best: The Hockey Gods "got it right" when Gaudreau scored the electric OT winner in Game 7 against Dallas.
In doing so, Johnny Hockey became the third player in Flames history to score in overtime of a Game 7, joining Joel Otto (1989 DSF vs. VAN) and Martin Gelinas (2004 CQF vs. VAN). … Meanwhile, Darryl Sutter improved to 5-0 in his last five Game 7's and claimed his eighth-career Game 7 victory - the most among all head coaches and tied for the most in NHL history (including head coaches, skaters and goaltenders).
SELKE SMOOTH
On Tuesday, it was announced that Elias Lindholm has been named a finalist for the Selke Trophy, along with Aleksander Barkov and Patrice Bergeron.
Lindholm the first Flames player voted as a Selke finalist in 20 years (Craig Conroy in 2001-02)
The 27-year-old set career highs across the board with 42 goals and 82 points this year, and had the second-highest plus/minus rating on the team with a mind-blowing +61. Lindholm was also one of the NHL's top faceoff performers, ranking third overall in total draws taken (1,592) and was fifth in wins (842).
"To break it down, I see him a lot during games," laughed Jacob Markstrom. "That's a good sign, when the puck is in our D-zone (and) he's always in the right position."
Video: "Fun to see so many people supporting us"
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A quartet of former Flames weigh in on this historic postseason matchup
Mike Smith:
"The hype is real life. There are a lot of passionate fans in Alberta. As players we're trying not to get consumed by that. There's a lot of extra noise, but there's a focus with this group that we have a job to do, and it didn't matter who we were going to play against."
Derek Ryan:
"It's huge. Obviously, the Battle of Alberta is another level (compared) to the regular season. Now, for us, as players, and the fans and the cities to have that rivalry exist in the playoffs is something special. I think we're all going to try and take it in and play our best and live in the moment."
Brett Kulak:
"Everyone's pumped. I have friends, family, everyone (reaching out). I have diehard Flames fans and die-hard Oilers fans; they're looking forward to it. I think we all are, but for us players, the job stays the same. It's going to get more intense; it's going to get harder; it's going to get tighter. We all need to step up another gear and be ready to go."
Kris Russell:
"You've got to take a look at who you're playing against. They played a little bit different. They're a physical team; they're going to bring that throughout all four lines. You've got to be aware of that. But at the same time, there are guys that are more shooters and more passers, so you've got to be aware of that and know who you're out (against)."
