Are you ready for playoff hockey? Flames prepare for opening round
Posted Jul 31, 2020 07:39:44 AM.
Last Updated Jul 31, 2020 07:40:08 AM.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – After months and months of waiting, playoff hockey is finally here, in August.
After falling 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers in an exhibition match on Tuesday, the Calgary Flames are ready to start their playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets.
“There’s a lot of positive feelings going into the game against the Jets,” said Peter Klein with Sportsnet 960 The Fan. “For Calgary, the defense could use some work. Offensively, three of their lines were going really, really well. There’s actually a lot of positive feelings for the Flames coming out of that game against Edmonton.”
When the coronavirus put a stop to hockey back in March, Calgary and Winnipeg were separated by just one point in the Western Conference standings.
WATCH: NHL Season Resumes
Klein said the biggest challenge for the Flames going into game one will be whether or not they can take on Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
If you were hoping the #Flames were going to go up against a rusty Connor Hellebuyck…you were probably wrong. That’s what @primetimeklein and @Fan960Steinberg were talking about on The Opener. https://t.co/IYcTpEgUYC
— Sportsnet 960 (@Sportsnet960) July 30, 2020
He added the Flames appear to have momentum heading into the qualifiers.
“Calgary, among the teams that we’ve seen so far, looks like one of the sharpest. They look like they were in regular-season form and kind of peaking toward the playoffs.”
Sixteen teams will play a best-of-five series to advance to the next round of the playoffs to face one of the top four teams in each conference.
The series between the Flames and Jets begins Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. at the hub city in Edmonton.