3-1 Series lead for the Avalanche. Mike Smith faces 52 shots in Game 4 OT loss.

Game 4 Preview here

Mike Smith gets his 4th start, despite the 56 shots he took in Game 3 he is ready to go. Bill Peters swaps out Oscar Fantenberg for Juuso Valimaki (D), who gets his first career playoff start. Valimaki paired up with Rasmus Andersson.

Colorado Avalanche stick with Philipp Grubauer between the pipes.

1st Period

Tyson Barrie’s first two shots of the game find a hot Smith glove. Flames Valimaki taking a couple of shots early in the game as well, hoping for beginners luck.

Didn’t take long for roughing penalties to be given out (Lindholm and Kerfoot in the hotbox for each team), an early 4-on-4. Avs with double the shots, 10-5 less than 10 minutes into the game.

Back-and-forth play. Lindholm taking away a chance by Rantanen with a timely poke check. Smith stopping MacKinnon from scoring on the next stretch.

Somebody teach Colin Wilson how to hit the brakes. Gives Smith more than a snow shower, as the Flames goaltender has to get his straps tightened.

Refs give TJ Brodie a weak slashing call. Smith looks fine after the Wilson crash, making a glove save on the first Avs PP shot. With 29 seconds left on their PP the Avs get caught with 6 dark jerseys on the ice.

Valimaki-Andersson on the ice with Flames topline as Gaudreau takes his second shot of the game. The first period ending with the Flames on a power play.

Scoreless after the 1st period. SOG 15 Avs, 13 Flames. PIM 4 Avs, 4 Flames.

2nd Period

Mike Smith puts on a show! His instincts on that stick save on Landeskog are beyond words.

The first half of the 2nd is all about Lindholm. Luckless on the puck a couple of times, being in position, but not able to connect. Until a Flames PP, seconds in #28 watches a rolling puck pass the goal line – Giordano with the assist. Lindholm can’t catch a break, as he takes an interference penalty – what was supposed to be a check, so that MacKinnon didn’t rob Flames #13 of the puck, turned into a 2 minute time out for Lindholm.

The game comes alive in the second half. Flames pressuring, Hanafin getting a couple of looks. Smith looking relaxed, right before an offensive burst by both sides. #92 Avs hits the cross-bar, then Mangiapane Flames gets a chance on Grubauer, who’s been solid for the Avs with 24 saves so far.

Flurry of shots both ways 17 Avs, 12 Flames. Score is 1-0 Flames up at the end of the 2nd.

3rd Period

Smith is looking sharp – still playing the puck behind the net. Makes yet another glove save on the Avs 40th shot, Calvert’s 2nd shot of the game.

Valimaki getting his first playoff point with an assist. Derek Ryan getting a playoff goal, after finding Valikmaki’s shot rebound.

Avs get a rebound goal on the other end, as Compher shoots a long shot, Smith rolling on his back doing acrobatics, not able to make the save.

2-1 Flames up, with the Avs out shooting 37-29 total shots with over 10 minutes left to play.

All hell breaks lose. Backlund in the box for tripping. Rantanen scores his second playoff goal tying the game 2-2 on the Avs PP.

Hanafin frustrated gets a delay of game with the puck going out off the glass, and Avs get a back-to-back PP. Smith making his 7th save on Barrie, and covering up a shot by Wilson on the PK. MacKinnon hitting the post. Flames kill off the penalty.

The third period ends with Smith making a baseball glove save. Flames take a time out with 57.7 seconds left in the third, 22 seconds remaining in the Avs man advantage.

2-2 end of 3rd. Total shots 46 Avs, 32 Flames. Total PIM 6 Avs, 10 Flames.

Playoff Overtime

The Avs make it a 3-1 series. Total shots in the game were 52 Avs, 37 Flames. PIM 8 Avs, 10 Flames.

Mikko Rantanen wins the game for the Avalanche with his tying goal in the 3rd period, and with the OT winner on his 7th shot of the game.

Mike Smith faces 52 shots in Game 4. He has the hot hand. The Flames top line is flat.

Game 5 is on Friday, April 19th in Calgary at 8pm MT as the Flames fight off the Avs and try to stay in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

by Renu Sahota