NHL20 Playoffs Sim Round 1, Game 2: Rittich posts shutout in playoff debut

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Best of 3 series tied 1-1

Leaders:

Goals

ARZ: Kessel (2)

CGY: Mangiapane/Gaudreau (2)

Assists

ARZ: Crouse (2)

CGY: Gustafsson/Andersson/Monahan/Giordano (2)

Points

ARZ: Crouse (3)

CGY: Gaudreau/Monahan (3)

Calgary Flames 6 – Arizona Coyotes 0

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: 0:54- Gaudreau (1) (Monahan [1], Giordano [1]), 8:03- Hamonic (1) (Lindholm [1], Giordano [2]), 19:32- Gaudreau (2) (Monahan [2], Andersson [2])

2nd: 4:42- Dube (1) (Ryan [1], Bennett [1])

3rd: 1:03- Monahan (1) (Gaudreau [1], Brodie [1]), 7:59- Czarnik (1) (Jankowski [1], Lucic [1])

Arizona Coyotes

1st: None

2nd: None

3rd: None

Recap

David Rittich hates the Saddledome. That might not be true, but his game away from Calgary is night and day different. After Cam Talbot had an okay Game 1 in Calgary, the Flames decided to give Rittich his shot in Game 2. The 27 year old from the virtual Czech Republic did not disappoint. Rittich made 42 saves, including 18 in the third period, to help the Flames even the series. There was no shortage of offensive support for him either.

Johnny Gaudreau scored his first of 2 goals just 54 seconds into the contest, which would stand as the game winner. Mark Giordano and Sean Monahan cleanly broke the Flames out of their own zone, which allowed Monahan to tee up Gaudreau for a laser past Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper had a strong Game 1 in Calgary, and beating him early did the trick.

Travis Hamonic would continue the onslaught. His attempted pass into the Arizona corner deflected off of Taylor Hall right back to him, which allowed him to walk in on Kuemper. He blasted a slapshot over his catcher to double the Calgary lead.

Gaudreau would finish the period off, as he deposited a wrist shot behind Kuemper after some beautiful passing. Kuemper had trouble seeing Rasmus Andersson at the blueline as he passed to Monahan in the slot, who found Gaudreau with a wide-open net with just 28 seconds remaining in the period.

Dillon Dube scored his first career playoff goal in the second period, ripping a beautiful Derek Ryan pass. Arizona started to really press Calgary in the second period, and it would translate into the third.

Sean Monahan quashed any hopes of a comeback early in the third, as he was the beneficiary of a patient Gaudreau who found him open in the slot for a one-timer. It increased the lead to 5-0, and Arizona decided to pull Kuemper to save him for Game 3.

Austin Czarnik would cap the scoring on one of just 8 Calgary shots in the third period, as Calgary’s fourth line slung the puck around effectively. Milan Lucic found Mark Jankowski deep, who fed a streaking Czarnik in the slot. Czarnik deked onto his backhand and flipped a shot past Antti Raanta for the Flames sixth goal of the night.

The series is knotted up at one apiece and moves back to Calgary for the penultimate Game 3 Saturday night. David Rittich will get the nod.

Flame of the Game

David Rittich (G): For the second straight year Rittich was passed over for the playoff opener, and that looks like it was a mistake. Big Save Dave’s consistency will be the keystone to any kind of deep playoff run for the Flames.

Other Playoff Scores from Wednesday Night

6. Carolina Hurricanes 0 @ 11. New York Rangers 2 (NYR wins series 2-0)

7. New York Islanders 2 @ 10. Florida Panthers 3 (FLA wins series 2-0)

5. Edmonton Oilers 2 @ 12. Chicago Blackhawks 1 (Series Tied 1-1)

by Gordie Taylor