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Calgary leads best of 7 series 3-1

Leaders:

Goals

COL: Jost (8)

CGY: Monahan (12)

Assists

COL: Rantanen (10)

CGY: Andersson (13)

Points

COL: MacKinnon (14)

CGY: Monahan (22)

Goalies

COL: Grubauer (8-5-1) 3.00 GAA .910 Sv% 1 SO

CGY: Rittich (12-4-0) 2.94 GAA .926 Sv% 2 SO

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Calgary Flames 4 - Colorado Avalanche 3

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: 2:12- Backlund (5) (Mangiapane [10], Giordano [11]), 11:14 SHG- Giordano (3) (Hamonic [8], Jankowski [5])

2nd: 4:52- Ryan (4) (Gustafsson [8], Dube [4])

3rd: 6:09- Ryan (5) (Lucic [4], Dube [5])

Colorado Avalanche

1st: 1:24- Makar (4) (Graves [4], Rantanen [10]) 4:42- Calvert (5) (Namestnikov [9], Johnson [5])

2nd: 19:31- Compher (6) (Calvert [6], Johnson [6])

3rd: None

Recap

For the first time in the series, we actually got a close game between the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche. After embarrassing 12-5 and 5-2 losses on home ice, the Avalanche responded with an 8-3 win in Calgary in Game 3 to tighten the series up. The Flames were aiming to have all their work in earning home ice advantage in Games 1 and 2 not be wasted with a good performance in Game 4.

However it was the Avalanche who would get things going early in Game 4 as Cale Makar scored from the blue line less than 90 seconds into the game. It was his third goal in the last two games for the Calgary product.

The Flames would answer back less than a minute later though with Mikael Backlund putting a wrist shot in from the high slot. It was his fifth of the playoffs with Andrew Mangiapane collecting the primary assist to continue his stellar postseason.

The Avalanche would push right back though with Matt Calvert scoring two minutes later to give Colorado the lead again. He would pounce on a juicy rebound from David Rittich after he stopped a shot from Vlad Namestnikov.

Later in the period Sam Bennett would take a needless hooking penalty (very realistic EA), but it would be the Flames who would take advantage with him in the box. Mark Giordano would get some room and unload a slap shot that would beat Phillip Grubauer over his glove to tie the game.

After 20 minutes the teams remained even with two goals apiece and it was a very even game.

Derek Ryan would give the Flames the lead early in the 2nd period by putting home a rebound from near the crease. The original Erik Gustafsson shot was stopped, but the Avs were unable to clear before Doc jumped on the rebound to give the Flames their first lead of the game.

After a back and forth period, the Avalanche would tie it late in the 2nd with JT Compher finding some room to bust in on a partial breakaway and beat Rittich on the low blocker side. Heading to the third, the score was 3-3 with a crucial period ahead.

Derek Ryan would again give the Flames the lead by being in the right place at the right time to put home a big rebound from Grubauer. The original Milan Lucic shot would be kicked to the right of Grubauer and Ryan would collect it and backhand it in before the goalie could reset.

The Flames would be able to hold the lead over the remainder of the third and weather the storm after the Avalanche pulled their goalie late. Calgary now has a 3-1 series lead with the series shifting back to Colorado, needing just one win to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2004.

Flame of the Game

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Ryan (F): The line with himself, Lucic, and Dillon Dube has been absolutely solid all playoffs and they really showed up tonight combining for five points and contributing two crucial goals.

Eastern Conference Final Update

Yesterday (Game 3): (1) Boston Bruins 4 @ (4) Philadelphia Flyers 2 (Bruins lead series 2-1)