Flames face rematch with Red Wings
19.05.06 12:00MST
Top seeds face-off in Western Conference Finals
Nicklas Lidstrom (pictured) and the Detroit Red Wings will host the Calgary Flames in the Conference Finals for the second year in a row. This time the Flames are the no.2 seed in the conference making this a clash of the titans in the west.
The season series this year was a tight affair with Detroit again claiming the edge going being the Flames 3 times, twice in regulation.
Datsyuk and Zetterberg again lead the team for Detroit, with longtime veterans Chelios, Fedorov and Bondra in support. Detroit has had little trouble in the post-season thus far as both of their previous rounds were concluded in 5 games each.
Calgary had a slightly tougher route to the Conference Finals as the Vancouver Canucks took the Flames to 7 games.
Expect a tight affair in this round but Calgary will be without the services of Detroit native David Legwand who is out nursing a sore achilles tendon. Kyle Brodziak is expected to slide back into the 3rd line centre role and attempt to shutdown Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
In the East, first place Buffalo and second place Carolina face-off in a mirror image of the West in a battle of top teams.
Detroit hosts the first game tomorrow, 20th of May.