New York/Calgary Set to Square Off

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Four Games, Two Teams, Many Questions

 

Well, if Calgary is going to have a better season than New York, we could find out soon. Every year, there's some sort of scheduling quirk that makes STHS look odd, and this year it's the season series between New York and Calgary. The two teams will be facing off the first four games of each team's season, alternating between Calgary and New York being at home for each of those four games.

 

New York is expecting to make a leap this season, following a three-plus season rebuild that saw the franchise only make it back to the playoffs this past season. Calgary, meanwhile, is hoping for a quick reload following a draft that saw them with three of the top four picks - GM Bushito is feeling confident that not only will the team beat out D.C. for the final North American playoff spot, but rise further up the standings as well.

 

"Everybody feels confident this time of year - that's what happens until you actually get a few games underneath your belt," said New York defenseman Lance Flowers. "I get that he's confident, but it's like Mike Tyson said: Everybody has a plan until you get smacked in the mouth."

 

Last year, New York was the team getting smacked in the mouth early: The Americans were last in North America by the one-third mark of the season. However, a mid-season win streak saw them rise to third in the standings, where the team ultimately finished. The goal for the players this year is to not have a similar early season slump.

 

"We have a few new guys like Ylonen and McWolf, but I don't think we'll need to play with our lines too much," Flowers said. "We're feeling confident that we can hit the ground running. And with one team four straight days, it'll be a good test to see if we're for real."