Not to be outdone by the Governor’s Cup between the Bolts and Cats, we get the "Battle of Alberta: Playoff Edition" between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
When Johnny Gaudreau (a.k.a. “Johnny Hockey”) scored on the power play at 15:09 of overtime on Sunday night, nearly 40,000 Calgarians erupted more like a volcano than their typical “Sea of Red,” sending the Dallas Stars home for the summer. Gadreau logged 22:44 worth of ice time, but none bigger than his 3:22 worth of time with the extra man.
Gaudreau and professional instigator Matthew Tkachuk both had a goal and an assist in the biggest game of the Flames’ season, which they needed every shot. Stars’ goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped 64 of 67 shots (.955), ending a stellar first playoff series as the starter. Oettinger appeared in two games during Dallas’ 2020 run to the Stanley Cup finals, both in relief.
For their trouble, Gaudreau and Tkachuk now get to face Connor MacDavid and Leon Draisaitl, or “McDraisaitl.” You can almost taste the Hat Picks that will be flowing on the Sportsnet YouTube channel for the next week or so.
Whether we get Hat Picks or Dang Its, this is the second round series that makes everyone a winner. To have four of the top 20 players in the league on display in the same best-of-seven series is one of those playoff matchups the NHL dreamed of having when they shifted to the divisional format in 2014.
Sure, we got Crosby against Ovechkin for what seemed like 15 years in a row, but the 2022 Battle of Alberta now feels more like The Hart Foundation against the Impact Players. Yes, that is alluding to Tkachuk being more “Anvil” than “Hitman.” McDavid is surgically precise like Storm, but Draisaitl picks the perfect spot almost every time like Credible.
The 67-28 disparity of shots the Flames put up in nearly four periods means that Mike Smith better be looking for a time machine to go back to his time with the Coyotes about a decade ago. The giveaway that cost the Oilers Game One of their series against the Los Angeles Kings, which also went to Game Seven, could have been an early backbreaker. (Damn, I must have AEW on the brain with all these wrestling comparisons.)
The Oilers trailed 1-0 and 3-2 in their series with Los Angeles, but put up at least four goals in three of their four victories, with the last being a 2-0 shutout in the clincher.
The Eastern Conference has Florida/Tampa and the New York Rangers against the Carolina Hurricanes. Two great series that should have a ton of scoring. The final matchup pits the Colorado Avalanche against my beloved St. Louis Blues. I do not see my Blues advancing, while I firmly believe the Stanley Cup stays in Florida, regardless of who comes out on top. Sorry New York and Carolina, but these are two fan bases that most hockey writers and many fans tire of quickly, which hopefully is the same length as the series goes.
You do not see fighting often in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but we did get a line brawl between the Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. Unfortunately, Toronto could not finish what they started, adding another early exit for a team that has not made it out of the first round since before the 2004-05 lockout where there was no season.
The lone Canadian franchises left will make this series where the sequel is sure to eclipse the original.
-JC24