by James Mcdonall

Created on: April 21, 2008

The average Calgary Flames fan deserves a medal for their determined support of this year's edition.

What a great mix of players! Stay-at-home stalwart and experienced defensemen, intensely determined and energetic youngsters, two experienced and no less than brilliant goaltenders, and superstars who certainly know how to put the puck in the net. They really do have it all. And yet, they can also be a bit of a mystery...

Sometimes they are world beaters and it's hard to figure out why they're not the league's top team. Other times, they make you wonder how they even manage to stay in the game! Consistency is definitely their greatest challenge and it's the life of a Flames Fan to wonder, each night, which particular team is going to show up. It makes for a lot of nail-biting.

That said, they have shown repeatedly this year that they are a team that saves their best work for when they need it most, and there's no reason to believe that these 2008 playoffs are going to be any different.

What they will need, without a doubt, if they are to succeed, is their very best work. And they'll need it as often as possible. Iginla will need to be at his most gargantuan! Kiprusoff will need his sharpest eye, his keenest reflexes, his toughest and most pin-point laser focus. Phaneuf and Regehr will both need to be at their belligerent best, and to play their own game without allowing themselves to become distracted.

Solid performances from the supporting cast are also absolutely critical. The offense will need to come from lines other than the top line - from Huselius, Langkow and Tanguay. Shoot the puck! If other lines are pressing, the team will do well. If not, well... it's so easy to shut down a one-line team. Defense will need to come from everywhere. D-men and forwards alike will have to be dedicated to preventing activity around the Flames' net - after all, if the shot can't get through, it can't go in to the net. The coaches will have to be as determined as the players, yet flexible enough to recognize who's playing their best, and who might need a rest.

The capabilities and desire are all there. The talent is raw, hard-edged, sharp and keen. The players are ready. The fans await.

So never mind the speculators. Disregard the naysayers, and the doubters. Forget about the "experts" and their spin-the-wheel, Maggie-the-Monkey approach to who's going to do what. Instead, count on the Flames' ability to persevere, and to impose their will on the other team. Count on their determination to make fewer mistakes and to really show what they can do, now that it finally matters.

That's what gets you there. That's the chase.

Let the chase begin.

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