When the Vancouver Canucks opened the 2014-15 regular season with a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames, it’s safe to say no one thought the two teams would meet in the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.
At the start of the season, many thought the Canucks were an old team on its last legs and the Flames were a young team that was a year or two away from being relevant.
Instead, the Flames and Canucks exceeded expectations and will write another chapter in their post-season rivalry.
Here is a look at the 2015 edition of the Flames-Canucks post-season series.
Storylines
Playoff history
The Flames have met seven times in the playoffs and in four of the last six post-season meetings, the winner of the series has gone on to the Stanley Cup finals.
The rivalry has produced some electric moments, such as Pavel Bure’s double-overtime goal in 1994.
Flames fans can look back fondly on dramatic Game 7 overtime goals from Joel Otto in 1989 and Martin Gelinas in 2004.
Youth versus experience
Fourteen Canucks have played more than 20 post-season games in their respective career, which is a benefit heading into Wednesday’s Game 1 in Vancouver.
The Flames? Five have 20-plus playoff games on their resumes. A dozen will make their post-season debuts.
Total playoff games show an even wider gap in post-season experience: Vancouver totals 827 compared to Calgary’s 262.
Goaltending
The Canucks have been coy about who will start in goal against the Flames, but all signs point to Eddie Lack, the lanky Swede who compiled a 12-6-2 record and a .927 save percentage to help guide the team to the playoffs after Ryan Miller went down with a knee injury.
The Flames have played three goaltenders for much of the season: Jonas Hiller, Karri Ramo and Joni Ortio. Hiller appears to be the guy the Flames will go to in the postseason. He played 13 of his 26 career playoff games over the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. The Swiss goaltender, who signed as a free agent last summer, has a solid goal-against average of 2.29 post-season.
Players to watch
Johnny Gaudreau
Johnny Hockey is just 21 years old but looks younger, and the Flames’ baby-faced assassin racked up 64 points during the regular season.
The diminutive forward could use his skill and elusive speed to give an ageing Canucks team fits.
Sean Monahan
Monahan is also one of the best young players in the NHL, although some joke that he may be one of the most boring.
That’s why someone–perhaps one of his teammates–started a Twitter account named Boring Sean Monahan as a tribute to the young star’s mild-mannered personality. As it stands, the Boring Sean Monahan account has nearly twice as many followers as Monahan’s real Twitter account.
On the ice, Monahan is a big, strong forward who is anything but dull.
Bo Horvat
The Flames aren’t the only team with promising young forwards. Horvat may not be as flashy as Gaudreau and Monahan, but the 20-year-old has been remarkably poised for the Canucks this season and head coach Willie Desjardins seems comfortable playing him in pressure situations. On a team full of familiar faces, Horvat could prove to be an X-factor.
Yannick Weber
The 26-year-old led all Canucks defencemen in scoring with 11 goals and has been an invaluable part of the team’s improved power play. His quick release one-timer could sneak past a Flames defence that loves to block shots.
So who is going to win?
Trying to predict the outcome of an NHL playoff series is a mug’s game, but NHL pundits appear to give the Canucks a slight edge.
TSN’s Scott Cullen has the Canucks winning in six games. Cullen, who specializes in advanced stats, says both teams struggled with puck possession late in the season, but the Canucks’ depth could give them an edge.
James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail is taking the Canucks in six as is Adam Proteau of the Hockey News.
Five of 10 experts at NHL.com picked the Canucks to advance to the second round.
Seven of 12 ESPN pundits picked the Canucks to prevail over the Flames.
Tweet us with hashtag #CupsOurs to show us your Canucks pride.
With files from Canadian Press
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