Flames Collapse as Ducks Take 3-0 Series Lead

Calgary needed a win. It looked like they were going to get it, then they didn’t.

1st Period

The Saddledome would be raucous as the game began, egging on the boys in their return home.

Calgary would get an early powerplay and make Anaheim pay with Sean Monahan setting up in the slot and one-timing a shot past Gibson. The game was only two minutes old and it was 1-0 Flames.

The Flames would then get a thunderous hit from Sam Bennett on Kevin Bieksa to keep the crowd riled up.

The Flames would get sent back to another powerplay halfway through the period and make it 2-0 with Kris Versteeg burying the puck from the side of the net after a scramble. Things were looking rosey early with the Flames up by two.

Anaheim would get within one with Nick Ritchie burying a poorly handled Elliott rebound and making it 2-1 late in the first.

That’s the way the period would end with the Flames in control on the shot clock 11-6 and leading 2-1.

2nd Period

The Flames would get back ahead by two after Michael Stone ripped a slapshot from the right point through a crowd and past Gibson. It was Stone’s first career playoff goal and the Flames were up 3-1.

Calgary would get up 4-1 with another powerplay goal this time a shot from Mark Giordano hitting Bennett in front and going in.

Anaheim would cut the lead to 4-2 late in the second with a softy on Elliott and hit the post shortly after.

Calgary held a 4-2 lead heading to the third.

3rd Period

For the first half or so of the third period the Flames would do a great job at shutting down the Ducks but the Ducks would do what the Ducks do and find a way to score.

Nate Thompson would deflect a point shot with under nine minutes to play to make it 4-3. Now it looked like a high stick but I guess it was inconclusive so they stuck with the call on the ice of a goal. Debatable.

Anaheim would then tie it with under five minutes to play with a long point shot finding it’s way through and every single Flames fan died a little bit on the inside.

We’d head to overtime tied 4-4 and the Flames on their heels.

Overtime

As everyone could see coming the Ducks would win quickly in OT with a shot from the corner deflecting off Elliott, off Stone and in. Because that’s how things go for the Flames.

So the Flames are down 3-0 in the series and now have to win two games in Anaheim and win two games on home ice. I just can’t believe this has happened after what has been a close series. Speechless really. Onto Game 4 on Wednesday night I guess.

by Michael MacGillivray