No. 1 seed Flames going with Mike Smith between the pipes for Game 1

The No. 1-seed Calgary Flames have a quandary between the pipes, but the experience of Mike Smith will get him the nod in the playoff opener Thursday night.

In Bill Peters’ first season as coach, all the Calgary Flames did was get the most wins (50) and tally the most points (107) in the Western Conference. Goaltending has been a question mark though, leading to a question over who would start Thursday night’s playoff opener for the West’s No. 1 seed. But according to Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960, Mike Smith will get the start between the pipes for Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.

Over 42 regular season games (40 starts), Smith went 23-16-2 with a 2.72 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. Rittich played in 45 games, starting 42 times, with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.

In games against the Avalanche during the regular season, Rittich went 2-0 with a 2.41 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Smith also won his lone start against Colorado, but he allowed five goals on 26 shots in the game.

Since March 1, the two Calgary goaltenders have been nearly equal.

Smith: 9 games, 4-5 record, .904 save percentage, 2.15 GAA
Rittich: 9 games, 5-4 record, .905 save percentage, 2.82 GAA

Smith has the big edge in one area though. He has 19 playoff games on his resume (17 starts) with a 1.88 goals-against average, while Rittich has zero career playoff appearances in his young career. But Smith’s excellent playoff run with the Phoenix Coyotes, where he posted a 1.99 GAA, a .944 save percentage, three shutouts and 14 quality starts in 16 games, came in 2012 when he was 30 years old. For whatever it’s worth his career record against Colorado — 11-1-4 with a 2.08 goals-against and a .931 save percentage — may have also played a role in tipping the scales toward Smith when Peters had to declare a starter in goal for Thursday night.

Puck drop for Game 1 of the Flames-Avalanche series is set for 10:00 p.m. ET Thursday night, from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.