BLOG: Smith ready to bounce back in Game 2

CALGARY, AB - It goes without saying, it was a tough start for Mike Smith and his Oilers teammates in Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Calgary's two goals in the opening 51 seconds marked the fastest two markers to begin a playoff game in Flames franchise history, with Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane quickly igniting the 'C of Red' and rekindling a post-season rivalry 31 years in the making.
Smith would make six more saves (seven total) before Brett Ritchie's first of the playoffs ended his night early with three goals allowed on 10 shots just 6:05 into the contest.
"It's not a great perspective obviously to be on the bench [six] minutes into the hockey game in the playoffs," Smith shared.
"It wasn't an ideal start for our group. We all feel like we let each other down there and we'll be better because of it."

Smith is a savvy veteran; one who takes his share of the blame, and often more, coming out of a loss.
He's proven he can quickly put bad losses behind him, and on Friday night, he'll be handed the immediate opportunity to step back into the Oilers crease and bounce back after being confirmed as Edmonton's starter in Game 2 of the series by Coach Jay Woodcroft.
"The message from me is I want to go out there and be the backbone and help this team stay calm and show that with my play," Smith said during his media availability on Thursday. "Not just what I'm saying in the locker room."
He certainly did that in Round 1. Despite his mistake in the series opener, Smith would end the series with a 2.29 GAA, .938 SV%, two shutouts, and most importantly four wins. He also became the second oldest goalie to record a shutout in a Game 7 (Dwayne Roloson).
At 40 years old and with 16 NHL seasons under his belt, Smith leans on his experience in times of adversity these days. But it didn't always come easy for the netminder, who provided an honest sense of reflection on Thursday.

"I wasn't really good [at putting bad losses behind] early on in my career and that's probably why I bounced around a bit. It's definitely something that experience helps with," he said. "You can't take it back. I could sit here and 'boo-hoo' myself, but there's nothing I can do about it now.
"All I can do is think about what's going to happen next and be ready for that tomorrow."
Even after Wednesday's Game 1 performance, Smith owns the second-highest save percentage in NHL post-season history among goalies who have started at least 30 games. His .931 mark sits back behind a .933 from Tim Thomas.
He's proven his ability to raise his game when it matters most. Not to mention, his track record for bouncing back after a tough outing in recent memory is a strong one.
"As a goalie, you can't really control much other than what you're doing," he said. "Whether the team's playing good or bad, your job stays the same. You want to stop pucks and keep your team in the game.
"Obviously didn't happen last night. We'll learn from that and be better because of it. It's a long series."