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Thoughts Heading into Game Three in Sunny Dallas |
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After splitting the first two games in Calgary, the series is now a best of five. Let’s get to it.
Getting Going Early
It won’t be the C of Red, but it’s a safe bet that the Dallas crowd will be a factor in tonight’s game. Setting the tempo early and getting pucks to the net in order to silence the crowd will be vital to getting a win. Not to mention the fact that this is a team playing Sutter Hockey in the playoffs. First goal is is everything. In two games this series, that law has applied.
Speed Will Prevail
We’re seeing a conservative Stars defence shutting down the Flames off the rush. When they lose the blue line, they set up a solid perimeter that has allowed very few chances from the inside.
The Flames roster has some speed to burn and scoring off the rush is the best way to beat the staunch perimeter the Dallas Stars put up in their own end. “Moving your feet” is simple Novice/Pee Wee level advice, but it really does apply here. Keep targets moving in order to break such a simple defensive system.
A Different Atmosphere
Despite temperatures reaching a high of 33 today in Dallas, or roughly 91 degrees fahrenheit, expect better ice conditions at the American Airlines Center. The Saddledome is clearly having some technical issues. Two shutouts and a total of two non-empty net goals in two games is no coincidence. Expect a score closer to 3-2 tonight.
Kylington
Oliver hasn’t had a great two games. He’s tripped over his own feet several times and made some key misplays on the offensive blue line. A team like Dallas is going to make him pay for those mistakes if he keeps making them. Head coach Darryl Sutter has to be running low on patience with his mistakes.
Oliver isn’t the only player that needs to do more. 15 players on the roster haven’t translated to the scoresheet after two games and every single player on the roster is underperforming offensively. On that note.
Poor Luck
The Flames still outperformed the Stars in attempt production in game two. 24-12 in the final two periods. 5-4 in high danger chances over that time and 18-13 in scoring chances for. The team missed on 16 shots. Gaudreau led in that category with five of his own. With a bit more luck that game would have seen overtime or even a 2-1 win in regulation.
While there is lots to hope for offensively, you can’t be too upset at one tip-in goal in two games. Sutter Hockey is doing it’s thing. The stakes increase now and the stress level ascends with it. Who’s excited to get game three going?
Flames Lineup
Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk
Mangiapane-Backlund-Toffoli
Dube-Jarnkrok-Coleman
Lucic-Lewis-Ritchie
Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov-Gudbranson
Markstrom
Dallas Lineup
Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Raffl-Benn-Gurianov
Namestnikov-Seguin-Glendening
Kiviranta-Faksa-Studenic
Suter-Heiskanen
Lindell-Klingberg
Hanley-Hakanpää
Oettinger
Game time is 7:30pm mst. Two anthems puts puck drop around 7:41pm.
Trevor Neufeld
@Trevor_Neufeld
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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