Ask most hockey fans, this series features two of the most 'boring' teams in the playoffs. While the Flames aren't necessarily 'boring' they do thrive playing low-event hockey. And it just so happens the Dallas Stars are the worst offensive team in the playoffs & 30th ranked offensive team in the NHL. So low-event hockey is the name of these games.
And the problem, at least for Calgary, is that these types of games force a reliance for the first-strike. So when they don't, there tends to be more of a toss-up element in the end result. Which is less than ideal for the dominant team in a mismatch such as this.
The story of this game was Jake Oettinger, who blanked the Flames with 29 saves. Most of those shots & chances came in the latter half of the game, as the first half of the game looked something like this:
-
Translation: Low-Event on Steroids.
If you're interested in tactical breakdown of the way these two teams play & why this series makes for such dull hockey, I invite you to peruse Jack Han's work on the matter:
-
Can Dallas continue to drudge their way to a series victory or is Calgary simply too good for them?
