#Mirage Edmonton

[burkymakar]

I’m so happy for you!!! Could you do 13 from the festive prompts with Tyson Jost?

13. “You didn’t really think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?” (thank u so much!!) 

No one loved Christmas like Tyson Jost loved Christmas. He was a very festive boy.

But that year, the Avs had a crazy road trip that entire week leading up to 23rd, and then a home game on the 27th, so there was not going to be a chance for him to fly back to St. Albert while risking all the crazy snow. 

Since Kacey had school and his mom Laura had work, they weren’t able to fly. But you, a close friend of Tyson’s since Grade 5, were not bound by those restrictions. You braved the crowds, you braved the cold, and you found yourself in Denver. 

You’d visited Denver a several times since Tyson joined the team, and proudly wore an Avalanche jersey with his mom whenever they played the Oilers in Edmonton. But, mostly, your friendship with Tyson was virtual, constant texting and Snapchats and Insta DMs and sharing TikToks you thought were funny. And, of course, when he wasn’t busy, Facetimes from hotels. 

Since you really wanted it to be a surprise, you took an Uber from DIA and showed up to his apartment. 

For a moment, as you walked up to the door, you felt a flash of panic. What if he had a girlfriend he hadn’t told you about? What if he was doing a surprise trip back home anyway? 

You took a deep breath, and reminded yourself it was kind of too late to worry about that. You had to risk it. He had sounded so sad on the phone. 

A nice elderly gentleman let you into the building, and you walked to Tyson’s room on the third floor and knocked.

Tys, with his curls wild and wearing the comfiest looking pajamas, swung the door open and froze at the sight of you.

“Surprise?” You said almost hesitantly, since his jaw was still dropped. 

“Y/N?” He stared at you like you were a mirage, like he wasn’t sure you were real. “I- You’re here, hi.”

“Hi,” You said. “Um... You didn’t really think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?”

That finally seem to spring him into action. He grinned and wrapped you in a hug, tugging you to him. You laughed, dropping your bag, and hugged him tightly. 

“You’re here! Holy shit, come in, oh my god,” He grabbed your fallen bag and guided you inside. “I was so fucking sad, and you’re here! You came all the way here.”

“Of course, Tys,” You smiled at him. “I didn’t want to miss this Christmas with you, either.” 

“You’re the best,” He said and you looked around his apartment. It wasn’t crazy decorated like it normally was when his family was there.

“This looks pathetic,” You said. 

“Well, it felt more pathetic dressing everything up myself,” He elbowed you. “But now that you’re here, we can go nuts.”

“I brought some stuff, tinsel, ornaments, a light up tree,” You dug into your bag and pulled out a plastic clear tree, no taller than a foot, and clicked on the button. It rotated through all the colors and you thought it would travel well. Thankfully, it didn’t break.

“You thought of everything,” He said then pursed his lips. “Well, you seemed to forget something.” 

“What, a whole-ass tree? That wasn’t going to make it through customs,” You said. 

“Um, nevermind,” He said, like he suddenly lost all nerve.

“No, tell me,” You poked him. “I came all this way and you’re not gonna tell me?”

His cheeks flushed a little, “Well, fuck. I was gonna try a cute thing about mistletoe or something.” 

And you felt your own cheeks burn right back. Holy hell, was your crush on Tyson reciprocated? 

“You don’t need mistletoe to kiss me,” You said before you could really think it through.

So he kissed you without it. And you were right, you two didn’t need the mistletoe.

[wldbirds]

Before Amara, what we’re Orpheus’ thoughts on parenting? Did he want to be a parent? Does he consider himself a good father now? What would he do differently?

it took me a long time to think of a proper response to this, but recently i’ve been thinking a lot about that one cut line from Hadestown, edmonton: 

Eurydice / I can hear the birds / In the trees /  And the laughter / Of our children in the wind  And I do think that when he proposed to her, Orpheus did have a somewhat hazy vision of their future, and what that would be like. but in Doubt Comes In , it comes to him as a source of strength . these imaginary children become real, they begin to feel real to him, a possibility of what they could have in the springtime, and it’s crushing when he turns around and that vision of the future just collapses, and turns out to be a false mirage . he gives up all hope on it, and it becomes something painful for him, until the train comes down again with his daughter . 

as for more concrete feelings towards being a father ,  he was cautiously optimistic .  he never really had a father or a mother, in the conventional sense, but hermes taught him that parents don’t have to be conventional, that they can just be doing their best . and that can be family . but with the new circumstances, things change a lot . he tries to do his best , he tries very hard to be considerate of her needs.  her real,  actual needs , and he harbours a lot of fear in his heart .  he makes a lot of sacrifices, and he is a good father , to make up for both mother and father , but he still feels he isn’t enough , that he’s robbed her of something .

I wouldn’t say he would do the turn differently, because of course . but he’s proud of the child he’s raised , and how she’s almost raised him, and saved him from the despair he fell into . if he could he would try to be more whole --  in a sense one of their greatest conflicts is a . eurydice , and how he wants to keep her legacy living in for both him and amara , as a reminder of her bravery, but how this can be oppressive at times , and contribute to his moments of melancholy. 

[mirageedmonton-blog]

How to Fun With Light Up Your Wedding - Mirage Edmonton

Mirage Banquet provides you the perfect venue to showcase your festivities and makes your wedding unforgettable. Lighting illuminates all the minor and major details of your wedding décor, gives your reception a happy vibe and results in the perfect bride portraits.

Here are a few of our favorite wedding lighting ideas that would add that abundant glow to your special day:

1. Candles

2. Floating Lanterns

3. Lit up Trees

4. Canopies

5. Chandeliers

6. Color-Washed Walls

Mirage Banquet #360-8170 50 Street Edmonton, Alberta Phone: (780) 468.3003 E-mail: deepak@mirageedmonton.ca

[marlahey]

we stumbled in the dark; i knew we’d be alright (part one)

a shawn mendes rpf fic rating/warnings: currently teen for language; probably smut-less (sorry?) since I haven’t aged him up here and he’s a real person significantly younger than me so the whole idea is slightly weird. notes: inspired largely by the TNHMB music video, (curse shawn and his stupid heart eyes) plays fast and loose with the actual logistics of an international tour/various locations, set in a nebulous SM3 era timeline because the full album drops tomorrow night and y’all can bet I’m gonna reference his new stuff. thank you to @achinglyshawn​ for being a lovely and encouraging new friend. hope you like it! I haven’t written solid anything in at least a year, least of all rpf which I haven’t done since like 2011; don’t know why the urge struck like lightning, but here we are. pearson international airport; now

You’ve had the dates in your calendar for months. You’ve sat in on meetings about the set design, the crew, and the appearance schedule; you personally claimed the receipt on a portable humidifier and the seemingly-endless variety of adapters required for it to follow Shawn from green room to green room.

This is it: it’s the first day of the international tour. You should be walking to the gate, but the bustle of Pearson International feels muffled, somehow. You can’t get your feet to move. “You’re gonna get run over if you keep standing there like that.”

Craning your neck to look at Shawn will never not be vaguely annoying. Mid afternoon sun glints off the shades on his head that are meant to be disguising. He’s smiling a little at his own joke, glancing over you at the people at the gate just ahead, boarding a flight to Edmonton. There’s a little girl holding a stuffed Eeyore, his velcro tail dragging on the floor. She takes her mom’s hand, but clutches at Eeyore more firmly as she walks. You can’t stop staring at the pink bow. “You okay?” Shawn’s expression has gone from relaxed to concerned. You flush, suddenly aware of yourself again, and him: as busy as Pearson is (most people don’t spare either of you a second glance), he is a superstar; you’re the one who’s supposed to keep him from getting hoarded by fans at the airport. It’s honestly a miracle it hasn’t happened yet. “I’m fine,” you say. Shawn’s eyebrow lifts, a wordless doubt. “You’re not afraid of flying are you?” You shake your head. “Don’t worry about it. Come on, we’d better get going.” You reach for the bag at your feet, clanging with all the jewelry you feel naked without, but Shawn snatches it up. You get a noseful of his cologne; you try very hard not to think about how good he smells. Shawn gives you a cheeky half-grin, pushing his sunglasses down over his eyes, leaving you to watch as he somehow manages to stride ahead with your bag, his bag, and his guitar, and still look cool. It’s almost infuriating. You have to trot to catch up with him. “I can carry that myself, you know.” Shawn doesn’t reply, though he’s slowed down to account for your height difference. You open your mouth to proclaim your own self-sufficiency, but snap it shut just as you see what is clearly a girls’ sports team lounging in wait at the next gate. Fuck. You chance a look at Shawn and watch as his fingers curl tighter around the strap of his guitar case. It’s probably a dead giveaway, but Shawn is very particular about his acoustic guitar. He holds out your bag, which you accept wordlessly, resisting the urge to step closer to him as if you could shield him with your meager five feet and five inches. He loves his fans, but international flights are stressful enough and Andrew had been clear about keeping a low profile. Besides, your sister would kill you if you messed up on the first day of the tour, when your only job is, play decoy and get Shawn to the gate unnoticed. Officially, as Shawn’s PA’s little sister, you’re technically not on the payroll. No one but the crew knows you’re part of the team, which makes you the ideal candidate to accompany a relatively disguised Shawn through the airport. You aren’t at things like interviews or meet and greets, but Ava’s words to Andrew over a year ago were, if you want me then Eleanor has to come. What Ava didn’t say (at least in earshot of you) was, she doesn’t have anyone to look out for her and I’m not leaving her alone for weeks at a time. For which you’re grateful. Being the (albeit 17 year old) child underfoot in an industry of adults was bad enough. If the circumstances were different, you’d probably resent your elder sister for uprooting your whole life and taking you away from school and your friends. But as it stands, you only have one close friend and you and Ava are more than just sisters, anyway. She practically raised you. And well, touring with a pop star or advanced calculus? It’s a no brainer. So you get to hang around with Shawn Mendes and occasionally help out, like with the humidifier when your sister is swamped, and learn about soundcheck when thing aren’t too crazy. As your sister’s pinch hit one month gig for Shawn’s manager turned into six, and then became permanent, you graduated to a (silent) chair at meetings and a bunk on a tour bus. You traded not being allowed any real social media for a TOUR CREW badge and lanyard. And being the decoy. Most days, it’s worth it. You pass the gate. Shawn’s shoulders relax; you let out a tense breath. It probably says something about your generation, that all the teens you pass are so engrossed in their phones that they don’t even notice an internationally famous musician only a few feet away. Shawn has pulled his hood up, but even underneath his sunglasses you can make out the longing as he stares at the second Starbucks en route to Gate 64. “Relax,” you say. “I’m sure you can get one before we go.” Shawn makes a noise that could be a snort. “Fine,” you amend. “Ava will get you one. Or I will.” He frowns as you round a corner and the sign for Gate 64 finally comes into view. “You know I hate it when you guys have to do stuff like that. You’re not like, a servant at my beck and call.” “I know,” you say, skirting around your sister’s paid capacity as Shawn’s personal assistant. You understand what he means. Ava is actually already sitting at your gate, phone to her ear. Andrew and the rest of the immediate team mill around, chatting. By some miracle – or Andrew and Ava’s impeccable planning – there are no other flights for several hours on either of the gates around you. It’s blissfully quiet. Your sister tilts her head at you as you drop your bag next to her glossy, hard case carry-on. You flash her a thumbs up, and then make a silent drink? gesture at her before nodding at Shawn, who has checked in with his manager and now stands at the floor to ceiling glass wall, staring out at the planes. Ava nods, mmhm-ing to whoever she’s on the phone with. She pulls her wallet from her purse without looking. You procure a twenty and point at your sister, another silent question, who just gives you a grateful smile. You wander over to Andrew and the head of sound, Mike. “Coffee?” you ask. “I’m gonna do a run for Ava.” “Please,” Andrew replies, though Mike shakes his head. “You guys got here okay? I didn’t hear any piercing screams.” The thumbs up you offer Andrew feels as sarcastic as you know how to make a single hand gesture. You don’t know why; you and Shawn are perfectly capable of walking in relative silence without incident, and Andrew is just being silly, but there’s a strange undercurrent of doubt that doesn’t exist when your sister asks things of you. “Two sugars, right?”   “I’ll go with you.”  If even you can catch the way Andrew’s easy smile folds in a little, Shawn can certainly see it too. You think about the conversation that you’ve just had with him and fiddle with the plastic bill in your hands. Shawn’s manager could certainly refuse him, but even that small moment of conflict doesn’t seem like a good way to start a four month journey across the world. “We’ll be quick,” you say. “There’s even one further down.” You point down the seemingly never ending row of empty lounge areas where a sign proclaims that triple digit gates are further ahead. Andrew looks from you, to Shawn, and back again. You can never tell how he feels about having to drag a seventeen year old around to keep Shawn’s most competent personal assistant (Andrew’s words, overheard behind a door almost a year ago), but you feel the leash of your age in moments like this. Shawn is only nineteen of course, but he’s the precious cargo of this trip. You’re just the extra baggage. “Decaf tea,” Andrew says sternly, jolting you back to the present. “Ava has something to help you sleep, Shawn. We need you in the right time zone when we land in Lisbon.” Shawn nods, and that’s that. He pushes his sunglasses back down as you fall into step together. There’s a little bounce in his shoulders which makes you bite back a fond smile. It feels like forever ago that you were starstruck by him. Which isn’t to say you aren’t still, sometimes, watching Shawn perform. But you wouldn’t trade this comfortable silence for anything. “So are you going to tell me?” he asks, when the Starbucks appears like a mirage out of the dreary backdrop of the airport. It’s empty save two men in suits and the baristas, two older women. You look up from texting your sister to confirm what she wants. “Tell you what?” “Why you were so spaced out earlier.” You make a face at him. “What, you don’t trust me?” You can’t reply right away, saved from having to by walking up to the counter to order three chamomile teas and Andrew’s coffee. Shawn flips up his sunglasses; now you catch something peculiar in his expression. “El,” he starts, and to your horror, he looks apologetic. “Shawn, I–” You stop. You’ve forgotten yourself. Be discreet. But no one, including Shawn, seems to have noticed. “Three tall chamomile teas and and a grande black coffee for Ellie?” Shawn’s already reached over your head for the cardboard holder. He smiles at the barista, who blushes a little. Even without his talent and stardom, even unrecognized, Shawn is objectively, undeniably, handsome. You roll your eyes, thank the women, and drop some change in the jar. “Of course I trust you,” you say, once you’re out of earshot of Starbucks. You don’t know why your stomach flips as you say it. Shawn’s smile is small and pleased. You have to concentrate on not blushing, so the rest just tumbles out. “I just had a list, that’s all.” “A list?” You tuck hair behind your ear, a nervous habit. “Of places I wanted to go. And we’re somehow going to be ticking them all off on this tour and it’s just–” You make an expansive gesture at the vastness of the airport. “It’s a bit hard to believe, sometimes. It’s not like I’ll necessarily get to see the sights, but still. Paris, London, Amsterdam.” You glance up, somewhat embarrassed, at Shawn whose expression has gone thoughtful. “I mean, you’ve been to all these places before.” He shrugs. “Doesn’t mean it’s not amazing every time.” His excitement lights his eyes. Sometimes, you think, he’s a bit like the sun; beautiful to orbit, hard to look at directly. “I hope I never get used to it.” All you can do is grin at him. Back at the gate, you deliver Andrew’s coffee before setting in beside Ava, who is finally off the phone, but continues to stare at it, scrolling through Twitter. Shawn drops down on Ava’s other side and wraps his long fingers around his tea, inhaling greedily. “Don’t burn your tongue,” Ava says without looking up. “Yes mom.” You smother a laugh into your own first careful sip. The next two hours before boarding feels like it drags by. You want to walk around to stretch your legs before you have to sit for eight hours, but it seems cruel to wander about when Shawn clearly cannot. “Have you called your parents yet?” Ava asks sometime later. You’re suddenly reminded that you haven’t spoken to Hannah in several days. Your best friend will not be pleased. Shawn swears under his breath, ejecting his long limbs from the seat all at once and plucking his phone from his pocket. You have to stifle another laugh. Your eyes follow as he wanders to the next empty lounge, his mouth forms the words, “Hi Mom,” and then you have to turn away from that soft, private smile. You: So I might be out of range for a while – I’m headed out with Ava and we’re doing a ton of traveling. Hannah: Getting dragged around by your sister on the whims of another celebrity? You deserve better than that! You: You know it’s not like that. I like helping Ava. And the celebrities aren’t all bad either. Keeping Ava’s job, Shawn, and the tour a secret has been a struggle. At first, Hannah would try to wheedle the information out of you, or Facetime you at random times to catch you out, which turned into arguments about you not answering your phone. But eventually, you laid out the truth: if you went around advertising the celebrities you got to meet, your sister would lose her job. Simple as that. Hannah had apologized, and for a while, you thought the matter settled. Ava somehow never appears in photos with Shawn, even during a hotel ambush. Hannah didn’t even listen to Shawn’s music when Ava first began working for him, besides the occasional car radio or mall. You were safe. Until she did. Somewhere between “Mercy” and the rest of the Illuminate album, your best friend went from Shawn who? to Shawn Mendes superfan. It was a little scary, honestly. Now you deal with almost millisecond updates from your best friend when Shawn does almost anything, which is especially hilarious when he’s four feet from you when he does them. The gate attendant finally calls boarding for the fourth zone. Ava hands you your passport and your boarding pass, and waves Shawn over for his. shawnmendes just posted a photo. Your account, created while your sister stared over your shoulder, is private and contains no photos. You effectively only use it to follow Hannah, Shawn, and an assortment of other celebrities. You’re not much of a photographer, anyway. You thumb at the notification to reveal a view of the plane, rising up behind empty lounge seats like a mountain. shawnmendes: See you soon Europe! x Hannah: !!! Omg he’s leaving! I can’t believe he’s touring Europe first. “Len!” Ava has her ‘professional’ face on. You type out a quick goodbye and hurry to join her. Now that you’re finally out of that chair and through the boarding gate, the reality of where you’re going starts to sink in. Butterflies start to riot. “Where are you?” Shawn asks, holding up his boarding pass. You straighten yours so he can compare. “Hey A and C, nice!” It makes sense, sitting in the same row as your sister, who would also logically sit with Shawn. It’s not necessarily the seating arrangement that bothers you, or the time; you’ve hung out on tour buses plenty. There’s also that time, in New York last fall. Which you don’t talk about. But you’ve never been this far away from home and you can’t tell how you feel. Having that crisis with Shawn just a foot away is just slightly more than you can possibly handle, right now. You watch as he helps Ava with her carry on, which earns him a gentle pat on the cheek, before he slides into the window seat. It’s just Shawn. Don’t be weird. “Lenny,” Ava calls you forward. “Sit in the middle for me? I’m gonna have to get up a bunch to survive this flight.” Seriously Ava? If your sister notices your inner turmoil, she gives no sign. Your awareness of other people waiting overrides your sudden hysteria, so you shuffle into the row. Shawn’s legs are extended as far as they’ll go, but he still looks comically too big for his seat. You suppose that you can only be grateful for your stature now. You weren’t lying when you told Shawn you weren’t afraid of flying, but it doesn’t mean that take off is pleasant. But he’s leaned back far enough in his seat that you can focus on the sight of Toronto falling away beneath you. He wiggles his fingers at the window, a tiny goodbye, and your heart stumbles a little. Once at cruising, you busy yourself with returning your rings and bracelets to the right places. The one on the first finger of your left hand is hard to look at, sometimes. Ava’s fingers suddenly curl around it and squeeze. You miss your parents suddenly with such fierceness it’s hard to breathe. “Here Shawn.” Ava lets go of your hand to pass Shawn a packet of tiny purple pills as the drinks cart rolls up. “Just one should be fine.” He pops one out and offers it to you, like a stick of gum. “It’s better to sleep, if you can.” Right, you remember abruptly. International pop star. You’ve never taken a sleeping aid before. “I’ll wake you up,” Ava says, stirring her Clamato mix. You feel reassured and then promptly silly, as if you’re not three weeks from your eighteenth birthday. You’ll be in Paris. The thought makes you giddy. Shawn tilts his head against the window, his hood up, and eyes closed. He looks young and unburdened and so normal that you have to consciously pull your eyes away. Halfway through a podcast, the pill hits you like a freight train. You don’t even remember nodding off. You wake up hours later, your mouth full of invisible cotton, inhaling a familiar cologne. The cabin is dark and quiet. It takes a considerable effort not to jerk upright; your head landed on Shawn’s shoulder at some point during the flight. That’s happened before, on the tour bus, in the strange hours of night when you’re leaving a venue and the streets are quiet. You’d doze off for a minute or two in the debrief meeting, before a sudden stop jerked you awake. Normally you’d sit up, self-conscious, and there’d be something teasing in Shawn’s smile before Ava sent you both to bed. You still don’t know why he always just left you there. But this is different. This is Shawn slouched down beside you, his cheek on your hair, the cool mint of the Tums he favours ghosting down against your face. He’s so warm. Sit up, your brain insists. Sit up before he wakes up and it’s weird forever. But your body can’t quite manage it. “Go back to sleep.” You manage to turn your head just enough, but Ava is still, her eye mask firmly in place. Shawn shifts and you freeze. “Sleep, El.” His voice is thick and groggy; Shawn’s nose presses against you. He breathes in and you can feel his body rise against yours. You close your eyes and take a breath. Dawn streaming into the cabin wakes you again, this time against your sister. Shawn is leaning against the window, still asleep, and you convince yourself that the whole thing was a dream. (part two)

[travel-vip-style]

The Mirage Hotel And Casino

Las Vegas Nevada

Edmonton Departures: 4 Night Hotel stay

Roundtrip Flights Included

June 14-18 $872

June 18-22 $661

June 21-25 $945

June 27- $714

July 3-7 $775

July 9-13 $760

July 11-15 $814

July 14-18 $1025

July 17-21 $950

July 22-26 $853

July 24-28 $763

July 27-31 $826

Aug 1-5 $698

Aug 7-11 $755

Aug 12-16 $877

Aug 15-19 $664

Aug 18-22 $895

Aug 21-25 $655

Aug 26-30 $873

Aug 28-1 $697

Aug 30-3 $703

Sep 5-9 $680, Sep 10-14 $881, Sep 19-23 $721

Sept 24-28 $899, Sept 26-30 $790

Oct 3-7 $977, Oct 5-9 $1150, Oct 10-14 $1010

Oct 13-17 $1203, Oct 17-21 $1076

Prices are per person and include flight, hotel, and taxes, based on 2 people in a room

Taxes already included in per person prices. Call 780-515-9141 to book.

Payment plans available OAC

#mgmresorts #themirage #lasvegas #vegas

Prices do not include RESORT FEES as hotels can only collect the resort fees at check-in.

RESORT FEE - 39.00 USD per room, per night

Not the hotel you are looking for, Call us at 780-515-9141

Need just HOTEL only, We have hotel rates for every hotel in Vegas.

Prices can go up at any time or sell out as travel is booming right now.

[orjamjam369]

GTA Online ALL 토토커뮤니티사이트 HEIST SCOUTING CLUES - 6 Access Point Locations & 10 Points of Interest

1867: Russell, Morgan, & Co is founded in Cincinnati, Ohio as a company that prints theatrical and circus posters, labels, and playing cards. French-suited playing cards or French-suited cards are cards that use the French suits of trèfles (clovers or clubs ♣), carreaux (tiles or diamonds ♦), cœurs (hearts ♥), and piques (pikes or spades ♠). Each suit contains three face cards: the valet (knave or jack), the dame (lady or queen), and the roi (king). Latin suits are used in the closely related Spanish and Italian formats.The Swiss-German suits are distinct enough to merit their subcategory. The grey market nature and tremendous profit involved in pachinko gambling historically resulted in considerable infiltration by Yakuza, who used it as a vehicle for money laundering and racketeering, but since the 1990s this has been less of an issue due to police crackdowns.

There’s really only one point during the game of Live Caribbean Stud where you’ve got the chance to employ strategy, and that’s when deciding whether to fold or play on. Two simple rules should always be followed: Fold if holding less than an Ace with a King ,Always raise with a pair or better http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=몰디브게임사이트 It is played in major casinos in China (including Macau); the United States (including Boston, Massachusetts; Las Vegas, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Connecticut; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Mississippi; and cardrooms in California); Canada (including Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta); Australia; and, New Zealand. Casino hotels—that is, hotels with a casino on the premises—fall under code 721120. They typically offer a variety of amenities, including dining, entertainment, swimming pools, and conference and convention rooms. Any five consecutive cards of different suits. Aces can count as either a high or a low card. Our example shows a five-high straight, which is the lowest possible straight.Any three cards of the same rank. Our example shows three-of-a-kind Aces, with a King and a Queen as side cards - the best possible three of a kind.

In Spanish, indeed, the cards are still called naipes – a corruption of the Arabic nā’ib, meaning deputy or lieutenant. These schemes work by determining that the ball is more likely to fall at certain numbers. If effective, they raise the return of the game above 100%, defeating the betting system problem. VLTs typically feature a selection of multiple games, primarily video slot machines and Keno. Las Vegas World War II veteran Elmer Sherman won a shocking $4.6 million from a slot machine at the Mirage in 1989, but he wasn't content to stop there.

Today, the common deck known worldwide consists of 52 cards across 4 French suits, plus the two Jokers. To the best of our knowledge, the first packs of cards in Europe comprised 52 cards in four Italian-type suits each with three court cards (king, knight, and foot-servant), and were used for games of skill involving trick-taking, as well as for gambling games, which were often prohibited. The Saint Anne Glassworks (now Cristallerie de Baccarat) at 6-49 Rue des Cristalleries (1764-1954)우리카지노Although we cannot be sure which version of the story is true, it is evident that Aruba and the Caribbean region in general played a significant role in the games discovery and development.

Verify that the hand is a winning hand. ii. Have a floorperson or above verify any Five Card Hand Bonus payout with odds of 500 for 1 or a payout that is a percentage of the jackpot amount on the progressive meter in accordance with approved internal control procedures submitted by the licensee (relating to internal control systems and audit protocols). Our new research, however, has found that increases in the casino advantage have produced significant gains in revenue with no signs of detection even by savvy players. If a player wishes to take the bet down after a win the player would receive the whole bet not half even though only one of the two bets can win per roll.A special bet that covers the numbers 1, 5, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, 27, 30, 32, and 34. It has the same payout as the dozen bet and takes its name from the zigzagging, snakelike pattern traced out by these numbers.

Often, brick-and-mortar casinos will use red plastic for discard trays. Fan-tan is no longer as popular as it once was, having been replaced by modern casino games like Baccarat, and other traditional Chinese games such as Mah Jong and Pai Gow. Fan-tan is still played at some Macau casinos Tables games, such as blackjack or craps, involve one or more players who are competing against the house (the casino itself) rather than each other.If the bet is removed, the player can no longer lay odds behind the don't come point and cannot restore or increase the same don't come bet.

The opposite long side is usually a long mirror. The U-shaped ends of the table have duplicate layouts and standing room for approximately eight players. Every ball that goes into the centre gate results in one spin of the slot machine, but there is a limit on the number of spins at one time because of the possibility of balls passing through the centre gate while a spin is still in progress. Games of pure chance.Still standing as a cinema classic, Rain Man features blackjack, casinos, Vegas and card counting all-in-one.

If there are more tens and aces in the game of blackjack, taking insurance is mindful. In the 19th century, roulette spread all over Europe and the US, becoming one of the most famous and most popular casino games. Keno payouts are based on how many numbers the player chooses and how many of those numbers are "hit", multiplied by the proportion of the player's original wager to the "base rate" of the paytable.Here are some frequently asked questions that new blackjack players will want answered to help them become more familiar with this iconic casino game.

[sn369comco]

먹튀검증업체 Dealer Gets ANGRY!!! #3286

If a player's front and rear hands both lose to the dealer's respective hands, the player loses the bet. If one hand wins and the other loses, the player is said to push, and gets back only the money he or she bet. Generally seven players will play, and each player's hands are compared only against the dealer's hands; comparisons are always front-front and rear-rear, never one of each. http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=클로버게임 Las Vegas World War II veteran Elmer Sherman won a shocking $4.6 million from a slot machine at the Mirage in 1989, but he wasn't content to stop there. Players take turns rolling two dice and whoever is throwing the dice is called the "shooter". Avoid playing weak handsProvided that you acquire a hand which is weak, you should definitely not hesitate to fold. A weak hand consists of a hand which lacks an Ace or a King and which is not considered to be a Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four-of-a-Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs, Pair or High Card.

Jackpots will be paid after your ‘Bet’ and ‘Ante’ have been settled (see Progressive Jackpot Payouts; subject to Rules 7, 8 and 9). On the facade carved buttons represent the different skills of the crystal industry. The grand staircase is the work of Jean Prouvé. The entire building was completely renovated in 2004. The Town Hall contains many items that are registered as historical objects: It is played in major casinos in China (including Macau); the United States (including Boston, Massachusetts; Las Vegas, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Connecticut; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Mississippi; and cardrooms in California); Canada (including Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta); Australia; and, New Zealand. However, players can still make standard lay bets odds on any of the point numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10).

Other kinds of video poker only have positive theoretical returns when the progressive jackpot is high enough. The Combinations In Decreasing Order :Royal flush: Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10 of the same suit.Straight flush: five cards of the same suit in consecutive order.Four of a kind: four cards of the same rank.Full house: three of a kind and a pair.Flush: five cards of the same suit.Straight: five cards in consecutive order, regardless of suit.Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank.Two pair: two sets of two cards of the same rank.Pair: two cards of the same rank. The Mameluke court cards showed abstract designs not depicting persons There are some evidence to suggest that earlier Chinese cards brought to Europe may have pass through Persia, and subsequently influenced the Mameluke cards. The exact percentage of casino patrons who have a gambling “problem” is not known.

The origins of hazard are obscure and may date to the Crusades. Hazard was brought from London to New Orleans in approximately 1805 by the returning Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville, the young gambler and scion of a family of wealthy landowners in colonial Louisiana. Daulphiné-This district lay in the south east of France and was bordered by the Alps, the Rhone and Provence. The principal towns involved in playing card manufacturing were Grenoble, Romans and Valence.French-Swiss cards comes only in decks of 36 with no ranks from two to five.The innovative Portuguese pattern is a Parisian derivative from Germany. Once the dealer has chosen the hand in which he or she will hold the cards, the dealer shall use that hand whenever holding the cards during that round of play.The cards held by the dealer shall at all times be kept in front of the dealer and over the table inventory container.

Going to a casino is a form of entertainment, but can become harmful. Also typically at this level of play (house rules allowing) the experienced croupier caters to the needs of the customer and will most often add the customer's winning bet to the payout, as the type of player playing these bets very rarely bets the same number two spins in succession.At 5x odds table, the maximum amount the combined bet can win will always be 6x the amount of the Don't Pass bet. Much of the stigma attached to gambling has resulted from the dishonesty of some of its promoters and players, and a large proportion of modern gambling legislation is written to control cheating.

The origin of the name Bingo is unknown but may date to the middle 1920s. Most typically (Mayfair casinos in London and other top-class European casinos) with these maximum or full complete bets, nothing (except the aforementioned maximum button) is ever placed on the layout even in the case of a win.In standard poker, each player bets according to the rank they believe their hand is worth as compared to the other players. There are tales of tremendous good luck ($25 million from slots?), dubious capitalism (atomic bomb parties?), and disgusting personal hygiene (adult diapers to keep a hot streak going?).

If you have a lot of smaller-denomination chips and wish to change for larger-denomination chips to make it easier to carry them to the cashier's booth, ask the dealer to "color up." Video poker first became commercially viable when it became economical to combine a television-like monitor with a solid state central processing unit.After 1850, fantan spread overseas as a side effect of the massive Cantonese emigration. The reason for this might be because of the low house advantage blackjack offers over other games.

This game is sometimes played as a "progressive" game, where the jackpot increases if no one hits bingo before the desired number of balls are called. For example, tables with minimums of $5 or $10 generally allow minimum single-roll bets of $1. Single bets are always working by default unless the player specifies otherwise. The bets include: 우리카지노 Six chips or multiples thereof are bet. One chip is placed on each of the following splits: 5-8, 10-11, 13-16, 23-24, 27-30, and 33-36. Like the come, the don't come can only be bet after a point has already been established as it is the same as a don't pass line bet when no point is established.

[inuashnar1]

Number 53 -April 24, 2020 - Vancouver

I’ve just had the most vivid prediction of a death? Of someone’s death. I felt a nail, from a nail gun, penetrate my skull, at a speed in which I could not comprehend. I don’t think ever comprehend. It was instant shock. That moment when you get hit? When I was 8 I was tobogganing down a hill in Edmonton with my dad and brother. It was in the same area where the horses, the park, the balls all intersect. We went up, into the valley’s hill. Weaving through trees and scuffling up deep snow rifts as large fluffy white chunks of gentle cottons float down, in simple, succinct, seconds. As if it was a mirage. This isn’t the moment I was hit with shock though. It was this - while tobogganing down the hill I hit a tree looney toons style. I felt my entire torso collide with this tree, my arms and legs warping past my body and tree trunk and then pulling oh god I don’t even remember - where did my hands go. Oh gosh. Oh gosh oh gosh. I don’t see anything but, this tree. And it’s mighty trunk! Robust. Crinkled and porous. I am in such a state of oh I don’t know complete dismay and true steps around this tree, I’m rolling oh the sky - it’s simple and white. This dim white that spreads and rolls. I have seen the underbellies of giant spruce trees. Fully engulfed inside their massive chest cavities.

I can’t breathe. Everything is suspended. As if I have been here forever. But also. As if I could take this instant memory and supplant it into another one.

Copy and paste.

I was snowboarding. I was flying down this hill raging towards the ramp. The last feeling I remember was of intense joy - I was just flying through the air I wasn’t bound by the cords on my feet. Gravity fully propelling me upwards, cresting towards white pressed ice.

I guess the worst part of the shock is the gasp of air that your body takes in when you enter back into reality. I never want to come back to it.

I want the illusion of being a flamboyant mexican genderfluid man? That’s a little bit slutty, always fun, and can be the best aunt to everyone in the world

[whereswalteryeg-blog]

#TBT Adventures of Colombia

I was told that I had to go to Las Lajas Sanctuary if I wanted to be cured, so here I am waiting to be cured, I don’t really know what I have to be cured of or saved from (probably a hangover?) but at least I got to see this amazing basilica church built inside of a canyon. This church was built in 1953 and is known for the stunning architecture. I find it so unique as it’s a Neo-Gothical building in the middle of the forest, I never thought I was going to find this in the middle of Colombia. Chatting with some locals, they told me all the legends about this sanctuary that I am 99% convinced that the reason my hangover didn’t appear this morning is not just for all the water that I drank. 

I am glad that I had the chance to go out and see some real salsa dancing, spending the night in Cali was a great idea, this is an incredible city. Lots of colour and culture to observe, and everyone seemed like they were in a really good mood. One thing that stuck out was that all the women I see here look like different versions of Kim Kardashian! The nightlife is great, now I get why people said that this city is “The Heaven’s Branch Office” and the World Capital of Salsa. I definitely have to learn how to dance salsa, my first Thursday night back in Edmonton will be at On the Rocks! I hope my salsa tutorials go better than my mambo tutorials.

Now that I mention rocks, I should tell you a bit about my adventure in Suesca, it turns out that a girl that I met last night is going rock climbing and she was kind enough to invite me to come with her friends. Of course, these rocks are not as big as the Rocky Mountains, but this one was big enough for me and my out of shape hockey body. We spend the afternoon scaling and hiking the formation which exhausted me! All this travel, food and indulging in beverages are starting to affect my athletic performance. As soon as I get to Edmonton I need to put some serious attention towards getting back in shape! I should get a bike and get back into biking.

I found a miniature version of Drumheller! it’s called el Desierto de la Tatacoa. Nobody told me that “La Tatacoa” was a snake, and that I was going to be camping in a desert of snakes. I was scared at first but then I realize that even though that is the name of this place, this isn’t really a desert and it isn’t full of Tatacoa snakes. This tropical sand forest is full of stunning landscapes, during the day the sand looks like it’s on fire and at night you can go to the observatory. During the day, there is not a lot to do, I went for a walk and made some friends, Sofia and Carlos. They are also camping for the night, but this wasn’t their first time in the desert so they showed me around. They took me to this secret pool, it was just like a mirage, I was so hot! No one told me that it was going to be 50° C and that I should have brought more food. Although I was burnt and starving, because there are no lights around so at night I got to see the stars and the moon, and it was absolutely incredible. The astronomer was really friendly and helped me to take some photos but I am dreaming of having a cheese burger and fries.

Here am I doing paragliding, this was a great experience, I didn’t even think of asking if somebody had died in an accident in one of this fabric wings things, well I guess it just wasn’t my time.

Someone told me that there was snow in Colombia, and I wanted to see if it was true. Countries around the equator don’t get to shovel snow every year. I won’t bore you with geography lessons in my blog, though. The locals, it was  a point of discussion to consider whether it was going to snow or not every winter season. Apparently, there was snow this year, it was just really hard to find. My feet and back hurt from that hike, though. But it was totally worth it, you can be the ones to judge.

After hiking and camping I was ready to check out the beaches. Everyone speaks so highly about Cartagena that I decided to start there. It was such an amazing experience to be able to be in a city with two completely different landscapes. The old city is surrounded by a wall that helped them fight for independence from the Spain. The architecture is totally colonial, walking by some of these streets I feel like I should be riding a horse. The food was amazing! There was this rice dish cooked with coconut which was unreal, I wish I could take some of this with me. The fried plantain with salt was also delicious, I didn’t even know that the plantain existed, always thought that it was just a bigger banana. The beaches in Cartagena were not as nice as everyone said they were, the only plus was that the water wasn’t as cold as it is in Tofino. I continued my travels on to a place called Las Islas del Rosario, the sand was pure white, and the water was so clear that I could see the fish swimming. If you ever come here you have to take a boat and get to these islands.

The Cartagena area wasn’t enough so I continue my journey to Santa Marta, which by the way was one of my favorite places so far. I spent most of the time at la Sierra Nevada which is a magical mountain where you can find beaches without a lot of shops around, is like a true paradise.

My last stop was at San Andres, the Colombian island. I rented a Kawasaki Mule for the day to give myself a tour of the island. To my surprise, it only took me one hour. The sea has seven colors here, I wanted to understand why so I booked a scuba diving lesson and found out that the corals are the responsible of coloring the sea. On my last night, I went to a boat restaurant called La Regatta, which was absolutely delicious. I wish I could’ve stayed more time here, just to eat more. I had to wait in line for a while because I didn’t have a reservation. If you ever decide to go to San Andres you can’t leave the island without eating there. 

In the morning, I got a ticket to go to Johnny Cay, which was only a 10-min boat ride away. The waves in this island were totally worth it, if you have a surf board. I don’t know why they didn’t have a place to rent surf boards! They rented tents, chairs, everything else but… ! I would have loved to try it.

In this country everything is so convenient, you can buy beers everywhere, at a gas station or if you’re stuck in traffic a vendor will walk around the cars offering cookies, cigarettes, cheese, drinks, candies, etc. You can even pay a few coins to someone in the street to make a call from their cellphone, or buy just one piece of bubble gum. I guess it’s just like a drive through. Thank you Colombia I am sure I will be back.

[mirageedmonton-blog]

Tips For Your Wedding Colors - Mirage Edmonton

Your wedding colors are not just the shades that you want to use in your wedding decor but actually are an extension of you as a bride. Follow these tips on how to pick wedding colors to organize the wedding of your dreams:

1. Consider The Setting

2. Keep In Mind The Colors of The Season

3. Use Your Favorite Flowers

4. Choose Your Mood

5. Check Out The Color Wheel

Mirage Banquet#360-8170 50 StreetEdmonton, AlbertaPhone: (780) 468.3003E-mail: deepak@mirageedmonton.ca

[travel-vip-style]

The Mirage Hotel And Casino

Las Vegas Nevada

Edmonton Departures: 4 Night Hotel stay

Roundtrip Flights Included

June 4-8 $684

June 14-18 $782

June 19-23 $798

June 22-26 $1078

June 26-30 $590

July 3-7 $731

July 8-12 $718

July 11-15 $1008

July 14-18 $935

July 17-21 $831

July 22-26 $698

July 24-28 $585

July 26-30 $665

Aug 1-5 $595

Aug 5-9 $829

Aug 8-12 $679

Aug 12-16 $828

Aug 15-19 $551

Aug 18-22 $784

Aug 22-26 $573

Aug 26-30 $807

Aug 28-1 $617

Aug 30-3 $640

Sep 4-8 $652, Sep 9-13 $984, Sep 11-15 $768, Sep 18-22 $721

Sept 24-28 $797, Sept 25-29 $656

Oct 3-7 $977, Oct 10-14 $988, Oct 13-17 $1203

Oct 17-21 $1134

Prices are per person and include flight, hotel, and taxes, based on 2 people in a room

Taxes already included in per person prices. Call 780-515-9141 to book.

Payment plans available OAC

#mgmresorts #themirage #lasvegas #vegas

Prices do not include RESORT FEES as hotels can only collect the resort fees at check-in.

RESORT FEE - 39.00 USD per room, per night

Not the hotel you are looking for, Call us at 780-515-9141

Need just HOTEL only, We have hotel rates for every hotel in Vegas.

Prices can go up at any time or sell out as travel is booming right now.

[thrashermaxey]

Looking Ahead: December 28 – January 9

  All fantasy owners need help in the short term AND the long term. The Looking Ahead feature identifies one player to plug into lineups in the short term, a second to invest in for the long term, a third to bench for the coming week, and a fourth who will struggle to meet expectations for some time. All players discussed are selected based on their upcoming schedule.

Stats updated through Thursday, December 27th

The Immediate Fix (Grab this guy and use him for the next several days)

Brandon Pirri, W, Vegas Golden Knights (Available in 98 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – The perennial Cy Young winner – when he’s in the NHL, at least – is back in the league and taking Max Pacioretty’s place on Vegas’ second line alongside Paul Stastny and Alex Tuch/Reilly Smith, and is an excellent stopgap pickup you can expect strong production from while he’s in the lineup. In his three games since coming up to the Knights, Pirri’s put up 3G-1A while firing nine shots on goal and averaging 15:03 with second-unit power play time; his scoring is no mirage either, as Pirri has put up 17G-24A in just 28 games in the AHL, and has performed well when put in the right spots previously in his career.

  The Building Block (Buy now, sit back and enjoy the production)

Andrei Svechnikov, W, Carolina Hurricanes (Available in 61 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – The rookie that’s making a push for Elias Pettersson (or Brady Tkachuk)’s Calder Trophy has finally pushed his way up from the third line and has put up three points (2G-1A) in his last five games. His average ice time per game is starting to climb up from the 14:58/game overall, as Svech has bested that number in all but one of his last ten games. He continues to play on the first power play unit as he has for most of the year, but seeing ice alongside Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen can only help his fantasy production and he should be closer to 80% owned.

  The Odd Man Out (His short-term value is cause for concern)

Ivan Provorov, D, Philadelphia Flyers (Owned in 54 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Although the Flyers have a great upcoming schedule – see below – Provorov has been a major disappointment in his third season. He’s playing 24:42 a night on average but has only put up 3G-8A, and has zero power play points playing on the second unit of the Flyers. As Dobber has pointed out numerous times, there has to be an underlying reason – possible injury, perhaps? – for his poor start, but either way he can be sat for the time being until you see some progress. Don’t give up on him and move him for pennies on the dollar (especially with the good schedule,) but don’t expect much with him on your roster.

  The Anchors (They’ll do nothing but disappoint even over the long haul)

Wayne Simmonds, W, Philadelphia Flyers (Owned in 68 percent of Yahoo! Leagues) – Another disappointing Flyer, Simmonds is on track for his worst season since joining the Flyers in 2011, as he’s picked up just 11G-5A in 35 games so far. He’s playing almost two full minutes fewer per game than in recent seasons as a second/third-line tweener, and is mostly playing on the second power play unit thanks to a combination of the addition of James vanRiemsdyk and increased usage of Travis Konecny. Simmonds is still shooting his career average – 13.4% this year and 13.3% over his career – and still attempting 2.3 shots per game so he’ll end up around the 25-goal mark yet again, but his lack of assists are the killer. He’s still a strong multi-cat performer, but he’ll be in tough to crack 40 points this season given his role in Philly.

  Love ‘Em (These squads are sure to pay dividends in the coming days)

Florida – The Panthers get six games during this period, with their toughest matchup coming on the road against the Penguins (who are strong offensively and average defensively.) Beyond the game against Pittsburgh, Florida gets to play Montreal (without Carey Price), Philadelphia and Columbus at home, and Detroit and Buffalo on the road. Feel free to roll out any Cats into the New Year.

Philadelphia – With seven games between Dec. 28th and Jan. 9th, the Flyer have by far the best schedule, and their new lines should allow spread out scoring a bit while having a (potentially) dangerous power play. Philadelphia heads into the New Year on the road against Florida, Carolina and Nashville, and then head back home for games against Carolina (again), Calgary and St. Louis – finishing off back on the road against Washington. While there are easier opponents out there, now’s the time to take advantage of a good schedule and either shop your Flyers or roll them out with impunity.

Calgary – The Flames also get seven games, but with four of those seven coming on the road, their schedule is marginally tougher than Philadelphia’s. The Flames get to face Vancouver, San Jose and Colorado at home, but have to travel east to face Detroit, Boston (second half of a b2b), Philadelphia and Chicago; the volume of games combined with some weaker opponents in Chicago and Philly makes the Flames extremely fantasy-relevant.

  Leave ‘Em (These squads will leave fantasy owners sorely disappointed in the short term)

Winnipeg – The Jets play five times through December 28th and January 9th, against some tough opponents: Minnesota and Colorado (both at home) as well as on the road in Pittsburgh, in addition to easier games against Edmonton (road) and Dallas (home.) The lack of games makes them a disappointment into the New Year.

Vancouver – Although the bye weeks don’t start until late January, the Canucks have a scheduling oddity where they play five straight on the road between Dec. 28th and Jan. 5th, and then get five days off before their next game. With their inconsistent scoring, backing Canucks players in their road games against Calgary, New Jersey, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto will be a tough ask.

Anaheim – Currently ranked 28th in Goals For, the Ducks have had a hard time filling the net this year, and with only five games during this period they’ll be hard-pressed to put more up. All five games come at home, but against Arizona, Tampa Bay and Vegas, don’t expect any fantasy gold; the remaining two games should see some goals – they play Ottawa and Edmonton – but not enough to offset the short schedule and tough defensive matchups.

  from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/looking-ahead/looking-ahead-december-28-january-9/

[rayfredm]

Fluky Flames? Teams wants to show success so far not a mirage

Fluky Flames? Teams wants to show success so far not a mirage

The Calgary Flames wrapped up the weekend’s slate of games and sat in a place they hadn’t held as a team in 25 years.

Even with Sunday’s 1-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, they still are sitting atop the National Hockey League’s Western Conference with a 19-10-2 record — a feat they haven’t achieved since Jan. 5, 1993, a statistic that was generated by Sportsnet Stats after Saturday’s 5-2 win…

[mirageedmontonca-blog]

7 Most Common Corporate Events

In the corporate world, there are numerous events that are conducted. Depending on the size and the expansion rate of the company, budgets are allocated for these corporate events. Employees eagerly wait for these occasions. Corporate events give them the opportunity to unwind, relax and take a breather from the regular work-related chores. And, this is the least companies can do to spruce up the enthusiasm of their employees. In many occasions, these events are a necessity to instill a sense of trust and goodwill among prospective and current employees.

Are you planning out your event calendar for your company? Here are a few events that you should consider organizing for your departments.

For more information about Corporate Event Venue in Edmonton, visit Mirage Banquet today! 

[latestcanadaposts]

Diary of an Edmonton Oilers fan in Las Vegas

I’m home.

My stomach has recovered from the visit to Guy Fieri’s eatery. My wallet from the Mirage slots machines. My liver from the O’Shea’s beer pong tables.

But…

[flauntpage]

Numbers Don’t Lie: Negative Thoughts Despite a Winning Streak after Flyers 4, Canucks 1

Let me get the formalities out of the way first, because I have a feeling that what I’m about to write isn’t going to be popular.

The Flyers have a three-game winning streak for the first time this season. The Flyers swept the Western Canada road trip, something that’s not easy to do.

Michael Raffl is on fire, having scored in each game. He now has five goals and two assists in his last eight.

Jake Voracek leads the NHL in assists, which is pretty impressive, especially since he has now been shifted away from the top line and yet is still producing.

The power play scored twice in a game for the first time in almost two months.

The penalty kill has not allowed a goal in the last four games and has killed off 12 straight opposition power plays over the past five games.

Dave Hakstol finally conceded his system wasn’t working, balanced the lineup better, changed to a more defensive approach – which is helping the team once it gets a lead – and is producing winning results.

Brian Elliott continues to provide top tier goaltending. He’s started 12 of the last 14 games, and even came in relief in one of the non-starts, and has been the Flyers best player most nights.

The Flyers continue to lead the NHL in fewest goals allowed at 5-on-5.

So, what could I possibly have to say that wouldn’t be a popular opinion?

How about that this is all a facade and really is unsustainable?

I know, rain on the parade, “old man yelling at clouds,” and all of those typical tropes that are spouted when a minority opinion is presented, are headed my way.

And yet, I can’t help but sit here and tell you that what you have seen on this three-game winning streak, that has my colleagues writing about turnarounds and possible playoff appearances, is no more than fool’s gold, a false flag, a mirage.

And here’s why:

As many of you know, I’ve always been Switzerland in the great argument about how much value to put into statistical analytics in hockey.

In short, my argument has always been that that analytics have always existed in hockey, just not as we know them today. Coaches used to measure Corsi back in the day with their own system of determining scoring chances. All Corsi did was standardize the measurement.

And analytics have taken off from there with some interesting findings but many limitations.

There are those who are slaves to these numbers – and they are misguided. There are also those old school curmudgeons who refuse to accept them at all – and they too are misguided.

The actual positive use of these analytics falls somewhere in between. How to best utilize the information to improve a team’s success?

With every team using analytics in some capacity, that’s the only way to separate winning organizations from losing organizations, with all things being equal.

And there is a lot of equality in hockey these days. Sure, there are bottom feeders, and there are your annual Cup contenders, but on a given night, in a given game, odds of winning and losing don’t sway much more than, say, an average Corsi chart where the better teams are posting a 5-on-5 CF% of 55 and the worst teams are posting a CF% of 45.

Actually, when you look at the list for the season, the best Corsi team, the Carolina Hurricanes, are 54.76% and the worst Corsi team, the Anaheim Ducks are 45.45%.

And those numbers may surprise you. Carolina is last place in the Metropolitan Division, yes, even behind the Flyers – although they have two games in hand on and are only one point back – while the Ducks are only two points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

But, again, there is more to looking at a team than just their Corsi.

For example, Carolina’s power play is awful. It ranks 28th in the NHL at 15.73%. And their penalty kill is even worse at 75%, ranking 29th in the League.

So, as good a puck possession team as the Hurricanes are, they lose games because they don’t have good special teams – and special teams, in hockey, are the difference between winning and losing.

It’s why a team like the New Jersey Devils, struggling to drive the play 5-on-5 and ranking 29th in the NHL in CF% at 46.55, can find themselves sitting in first place in the Metropolitan Division – because both of their power play and penalty kill rank in the top 10.

But one thing is certain, you can’t be bad at all three and expect to be a playoff contender. Even if you are winning games – like the Flyers have this week.

See, the Flyers can tout the fact that they have allowed the fewest goals at 5-on-5 and think that’s indicative of good team play, but it’s not.

What it is indicative of is that the goaltending has been better than expected. It is also indicative of players being forced to block a lot of shots. What it fails to tell you is the Flyers are being seriously outplayed 5-on-5 most nights, which is where Corsi is an excellent measurement.

Lets look at all three scenarios just mentioned.

First, the goaltending

Elliott has pretty much cemented himself as the Flyers No. 1 goalie. His overall numbers won’t wow you, and in the rankings he’s pretty low. His 2.79 goals against average (GAA) ranks 20th in the NHL among goalies with at least 15 appearances. His save percentage (SvPct) of .912 ranks 15th among that same group.

Based on those standard numbers alone, Elliott would be considered a middle of the road guy.

But his team isn’t helping him.

Considering the Flyers are not a good puck possession team (we’ll get to this more in a minute, but they rank 21st in the NHL), Elliott is facing more shots than most goalies. In fact, he ranks sixth in the NHL in most shots faced at 5-on-5 with 562 and of the five goalies in front of him, four have played in more games than Elliott.

In fact, only Frederik Andersen in Toronto (27.96) and Andrei Vasilevskiy in Tampa Bay (27.00) are averaging more even strength shots faced per start than Elliott (26.76).

And at even strength, Elliott is better than his overall numbers with a SvPct of .925.

Not to mention, since Nov. 9, Elliott has had a GAA of 2.57 and an all situations SvPct. of .925.

In short, he’s been carrying the Flyers.

And the reality of the situation is, they can’t expect him to do this every game or over the course of many games. Sure, they can give him the Ric Flair robe like they did after beating Vancouver last night, but Elliott is going to regress back to his mean at some point.

It won’t be an incredible regression, but his career SvPct. is .913, and he’s only sustained a .925 SvPct. or better twice in his career – and in both instances he was a part-time goalie and not the de facto No. 1 guy.

Second, the shot blocking

Again, I’m not someone who has a problem with guys who block shots. It’s an admirable, team-oriented, selfless approach to help win hockey games. Guys should be lauded for it and not criticized, as is the Flyers Twitter trend.

So, when you see Ivan Provorov tied for fifth in the NHL with 66 blocks or Andrew MacDonald eigth in the league in blocked shots per game played (2.42) or guys like Robert Hagg (42) and Brandon Manning (30) averaging more than a blocked shot per game, don’t criticize them for their efforts.

Instead, be concerned that the Flyers don’t have the puck enough.

The Flyers are 7th in the NHL with 439 blocked shots. That means they are blocking 15.14 shots per game.

Think about that for a second.

That’s five shots per period. That’s one every four minutes of ice time.

That’s a lot.

(And to think there are six teams who are doing it more is mind-boggling).

But all this indicates the Flyers spend way too much time without the puck and that, even worse, they aren’t forcing teams to give up the puck.

The Flyers have just 158 takeaways this season. That ranks 29th in the NHL. That means they are too passive when the other team has the puck. They aren’t actively trying to separate puck carriers from the puck.

That’s not me shouting from the press box, “Hit somebody,” but that guy does occasionally have a point.

The Flyers aren’t physical enough, plain and simple.

This isn’t a call for action to return the game to the goon-it-up style that permeated the sport for many years. Not at all. But, there has to be some physicality in hockey. You have to hunt the puck. You have to want it more than the other team.

And when you are only forcing 5.45 takeaways per game, you aren’t doing it enough.

Conversely, the Flyers have 291 giveaways this season (12th in the NHL), or 10.04 per game – almost double what they’re taking back.

Not good.

Third, puck possession

We don’t really need to dwell on this long, because we’ve made the point already, but the Flyers 5-on-5 CF% for the season is 48.55, which ranks 21st in the NHL.

So, don’t let the whole “fewest goals allowed at 5-on-5” fool you. They aren’t playing great hockey 5-on-5.

And if you want to buy into what they’ve done the last three games. I give you the Game flow charts (courtesy of NaturalStatTrick.com) for the last three games – all of which were wins.

at Calgary:

at Edmonton:

at Vancouver:

The Edmonton game wasn’t terrible, but the other two were. I’m telling you, you can’t win consistently when playing like this. Sorry.

Finally, special teams

We talked about how special teams make such a huge difference in hockey. It can make a good puck possession team (Carolina) mediocre and it can make a bad puck possession team (New Jersey) look like a Cup contender.

So, what are the Flyers?

We already pointed out they are a bad puck possession team. So, to be a successful team in conjunction with that, they need to be better on special teams right?

Uhhh…

Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens looks at special teams like baseball stat geeks look at OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage).

In baseball, that combination, when added together, should be .800 or higher for a truly impactful player.

In hockey, Stevens likes to call it STP (specialty teams percentage).

He told me that when adding your power play percentage together, 110 or higher was the ultimate goal, but anything between 105-110 would mean you are a really good hockey team. 100-105 is acceptable, but you should try and be better.

“Anything under 100 is really not good at all,” he told me. “You very likely aren’t making the playoffs if it’s under 100.”

The Flyers STP currently is 96.41.

Yeah. Not good at all.

The power play is mediocre, sitting smack dab in the middle of the league rankings at 16th with a 19.19% success rate.

The penalty kill is terrible. Even with it’s recent run of 12 straight kills and no goals allowed in four straight games after allowing at least one goal in seven straight, the penalty kill still ranks 25th in the league at 77.22%.

This combination is not a positive harbinger of things to come.

Instead, it is indicative of a mediocre – at best – hockey team. One that is prone to inconsistency. One that, no matter what you read or hear elsewhere, is not rebounding from their 10-game losing streak to suddenly become a playoff contender again.

I hate to be a Debbie Downer on the day following their longest winning streak of the season, but it’s a reality.

These numbers don’t lie.

  Numbers Don’t Lie: Negative Thoughts Despite a Winning Streak after Flyers 4, Canucks 1 published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv