MONDAY COMMENTARY – FLAMES IN SIX, PANTHERS IN SEVEN

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

THE BATTLE OF ALBERTA IS ON.

SO TOO, IS THE BATTLE OF FLORIDA, AND I’M JUST AS HAPPY TO HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT FOR THAT SERIES THAN TO BE IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA WHERE SOMEONE COULD LITERALLY GET HURT. AND PROBABLY WILL.

NEITHER CALGARY NOR EDMONTON DID IT EASILY IN ROUND 1 OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS, WAITING TILL GAME 7 TO VANQUISH THEIR OPPONENTS – DALLAS AND L.A. RESPECTIVELY – BUT THE STARS ALWAYS SEEMED ALIGNED FOR A SECOND ROUND BATTLE OF ALBERTA SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1991.

NOW … HERE WE ARE.

THE HIGHLIGHT SHOWS, BLOGS AND SOCIAL MEDIA WILL BE RIFE WITH ANALYSIS AND PREVIEWS OF THIS DELICIOUS SERIES BUT I’LL CUT TO THE CHASE AND SAY THE FLAMES WILL TAKE IT IN SIX GAMES.

SUTTER HOCKEY WAS BUILT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND A SERIES LIKE THIS, AND I CAN SEE THEM PHYSICALLY RUNNING THE OILERS OUT OF THE RINK.

THEN THEY’VE GOT JUST ENOUGH SKILL AND FINESSE TO PUT THEM OVER THE TOP AGAINST EDMONTON. THEY’RE JUST A DEEPER TEAM WITH MUCH BETTER GOALTENDING.

AND NOW I CAN SEE WHY THE CFL DOESN’T FAVOUR MOVING THE SEASON UP TOO FAR BECAUSE COMPETING WITH THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS IN CANADA IS A NON-STARTER.

BUT THERE’S NOT MUCH GOING ON IN THE CFL THESE DAYS ANYWAY.

BACK TO HOCKEY. AS I SAID, I’LL BE TAKING IN THE PANTHERS/LIGHTNING SERIES AND TRUST ME, THEY’RE JUST AS JACKED FOR THIS ONE DOWN HERE AND THE ARENAS WILL BE SOLDOUT EVERY GAME.

WE WERE HITTING “REFRESH, REFRESH” ON OUR PHONES ON SUNDAY AWAITING THE ROUND 2 SCHEDULE. AND NOW WE KNOW IT’LL OPEN TUESDAY NIGHT HERE IN SUNRISE.

FOR THIS ONE, I’VE GOT PANTHERS IN SEVEN. I MAINTAIN THE LIGHTNING HAVE LOST THEIR HUNGER, AND THEY BARELY GOT PAST TORONTO. IN THIS SERIES THEY’RE FACING THE NHL’S #1 TEAM WHO HAVE SUFFICIENT MOTIVATION BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE PRESSURE THAT THE LEAFS FACED.

THERE JUST WON’T BE AS MANY FIGHTS IN THE PARKING LOTS AND STREETS AS IN ALBERTA.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live and listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)