GDB: BATTLE OF ALBERTA
By Lowetide
10 years agoIt’s an ill will she blows this morning, ladies and men. We are stone cold frozen, indoors, outdoors and in the western conference. The blues aren’t blue enough, the country tear-jerkers can’t find the lines, the poets can’t stop the clocks in rhyme.
The Battle of Alberta is desolation row.
BUT WE’LL GET THERE BEFORE THEM!
Really? REALLY? The tortoise and the hare had a point to their story, I’m not sure ‘one frozen bubble against another one’ will galvanize our collective spirits in Alberta province.
Is there ANY good news? And don’t tell me the draft!
CALGARY FLAMES PROJECTED LINEUP
- TJ Galiardi-Mikael Backlund-Jiri Hudler
- Mike Cammalleri-Sean Monahan-Joe Colborne
- Lance Bouma-Matt Stajan-David Jones
- Paul Byron-Markus Granlund-Kevin Westgarth
- TJ Brodie-Mark Giordano
- Kris Russell-Derek Smith
- Ladislav Smid-Dennis Wideman
- Reto Berra
The Flames have some good hockey players heading out tonight, and some of them will be playing their last game with the fiery C. Mike Cammalleri should get significant interest, young Backlund has once again overcome major obstacles and the all-Canadian Monahan looks sharp in every photo. The Flames Corsi for % 5×5 is 45.2%, fourth worst in the league but there are some champions in the group:
- Galiardi 50.8%
- Giordano 50.5%
- Backlund 49.4%
- Brodie 49.3%
- Cammalleri 49.2%
The complete list is here and it is worth noting Calgary has only three position players who have been on the ice for more than 300 minutes while posting a sub 43% Corsi for 5×5 %.
EDMONTON OILERS PROJECTED LINEUP
- Hall-Nuge-Hemsky
- Perron-Gagner-Eberle
- Hendricks-Gordon-Joensuu
- Jones-Smyth-Gazdic
- Marincin-Petry
- N Schultz-J Schultz
- Ference-Belov
- Bryzgalov
Nail Yakupov’s injury isn’t considered serious, but it’s also likely they hold him back for tonight’s game. Do the Oilers have some good news, something similar to the Flames’ men who are close to 50% or better Corsi for 5×5?
The Oilers Corsi for 5×5% is 43.3%, they are one below Calgary in the race (don’t you laugh, Toronto only Buffalo saves you!)
- Martin Marincin 50.2%
The numbers are here. Edmonton has five players who have been on the ice for more than 300 minutes while also posting a sub 43% Corsi for 5×5 %.
SOME SWEET DAY
History tells us this will not last. Calgary will have a fine trade deadline, add some picks and prospects and live to fight another day. Edmonton appears to have invested heavily in hiring a new coach each season, so the only impressive thing is the number of first overall selections on their roster.
Calgary and Edmonton are driving toward that goal this summer, first overall. In that race, Edmonton is judge, jury and executioner. For Oiler fans, the promise of a first overall pick is like a kick in the junk, a stomach turner, a false spring.
The Flames should learn the lesson presented to them by Edmonton—it’s pretty damn hard to come back quickly from scorched earth, even when good soil lies all about you.
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Flames and Oilers play to a 1-1 tie and no one can score in the shootout. Finally, Ladislav Smid drives in over the blueline and goes shelf on a very surprised Ilya Bryzgalov.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Flames win 5-1, on 5 shorthanded goals. All by Smid.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: CBC’s After Hours becomes trade central as both Mike Cammalleri and Ales Hemsky are sent to Pittsburgh right after the game.
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