The Calgary Flames have certainly earned the courtesy of not being written off just yet.
Surely by now, they deserve the benefit of the doubt given the number of times they have bucked the odds and their critics this NHL season to bounce back when all seemed lost.
But reality is certainly setting in.
The Flames can’t be criticized for being down 2-0 in a second-round playoff series they’ll have a hard time prolonging past Friday.
These are simply two teams with different goals.
This Anaheim Ducks team has been carefully constructed for years with only a Stanley Cup in mind.