Breaking: Flames officially name starting goalie for Game 1

Despite being Western Conference champions and the No. 1 seed, the Calgary Flames know the Colorado Avalanche will charge with everything it has tonight in the first game of the series. 

This attitude seems to have convinced the Flames and head coach Bill Peters that experience is a much needed quality to bear and therefore have decided to name Mike Smith as their starter for the first contest of the series. 

The decision was kept under wraps by the team for the entire lead-up to Thursday’s Game 1, but in a way, it makes sense. Smith has improved quite a lot from a difficult start this season and has a playoff resume.

Not a huge one, but more than his backup David Rittich. 

We are taking about Smith’s experience back in the 2012 playoffs during a Cinderella-type run with the then-Phoenix Coyotes that ended with a five-game elimination from the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. It's 16 games, it's not a lot but it counts, especially compared to Rittich, who just wrapped up his first official season in the NHL. 

Rittich put up great numbers this season, going 27-9-5 with a 2.61 goals against average and .911 save percentage. 

You can tell experience topped performance in the Flames' choice for tonight's starter as Smith's numbers were 23-16-2 with a 2.73 goals against average, and .898 save percentage.

Let's see what happens tonight against the Avalanche.