The Vet Gets The Nod

When it comes to the playoffs sometimes age, experience and wisdom trump stats. That's exactly the case tonight as the Calgary Flames will start Mike Smith between the pipes in game one of their Stanley Cup Playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche.

David Rittich had the overall better season numbers wise, but the Flames clearly feel Smith's steady hand of late is the reason to go with the veteran netminder. But if you know how Bill Peters works, don't carve this in stone.

FORWARDS

Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Elias Lindholm

Matthew Tkachuk - Mikael Backlund - Michael Frolik

Sam Bennett - Mark Jankowski - James Neal

Andrew Mangiapane - Derek Ryan - Garnet Hathaway

DEFENCE

Mark Giordano - TJ Brodie

Noah Hanifin - Travis Hamonic

Oscar Fantenberg - Rasmus Andersson

GOALTENDER

Mike Smith