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ARZ leads best of 3 series 1-0

Leaders:

Goals

ARZ: Kessel (2)

CGY: Mangiapane (2)

Assists

ARZ: Crouse (2)

CGY: Gustafsson (2)

Points

ARZ: Kessel (2)

CGY: Mangiapane (2)

Calgary Flames 2 - Arizona Coyotes 3

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: 13:29- Mangiapane (1) (Backlund [1], Gustafsson [1])

2nd: None

3rd: 10:49- Mangiapane (2) (Gustafsson [2], Andersson [1])

Arizona Coyotes

1st: 10:39- Kessel (1) (Crouse [1], Goligoski [1])

2nd: 13:33- Crouse (1) (Stepan [1])

3rd: 13:13- Kessel (2) (Crouse [2], Goligoski [2])

Recap

The Arizona Coyotes are frustrating to play against. The Flames found that to be true even in the virtual world, as Darcy Kuemper turned away chance after chance. Phil Kessel scroed his second of the game with just over 5 minutes remaining in the third, and the Coyotes’ smothering defensive game did the rest of the work in Game 1 of our simulated playoffs.

After tonight’s loss the Flames won’t have another chance to lose, as our first round is a best of 3. The Flames will be in Arizona for Game 2 on Thursday night.

Kessel opened the scoring, jamming a loose puck past Talbot midway through the first. Andrew Mangiapane scored the first Flames goal of the series for the second straight year, as he and Mikael Backlund played off of a filthy give-and-go behind the net for the easy goal.

Lawson Crouse would hammer home a one-timed slapshot past Talbot for the second period’s lone goal.

The Flames weren’t able to generate a tone of offense in the third against the Coyotes systems, but Mangiapane tipped home his second of the game off of Erik Gustafsson’s shot at 10:49 of the third.

The jubilation was short lived, as Phil Kessel’s slapshot barely 3 minutes later would seal the game. A one-on-one with Noah Hanifin gave Kessel no other option than to just shoot, and he scored from a questionable distance on Talbot. Cam finished with 32 saves, compared to Kuemper’s 28.

Flame of the Game

Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Mangiapane (F): The work ethic has clearly transitioned into the post season once again for the Eater of Bread. Hopefully he can maintain a high level of offence for the remainder of the playoffs.

Other Stanley Cup Playoff Games

11. New York Rangers 4 @ 6. Carolina Hurricanes 1 (NYR Leads 1-0)

10. Florida Panthers 4 @ New York Islanders 1 (FLA Leads 1-0)

12. Chicago Blackhawks 7 @ 5. Edmonton Oilers 3 (CHI Leads 1-0)