Game Takes: Ducks 5 Flames 2

February 21st, 2016 | Posted in Game Takes | By: D'Arcy McGrath

What’s that saying? Something like the only guarantees in life are death and taxes? Well maybe we should add Calgary losing in Anaheim to that list of guarantees.

The Flames did win a game during the 2006 7 game loss to the Ducks in the playoffs, but for regular season purposes tonight’s 5-2 loss to the Ducks in Anaheim represented the 22nd straight game at Disney with the Flames coming out on the wrong side of the scoreboard. 22 games, 12 years. Ouch.

The Flow

Usually when the Flames play in Anaheim they come out flat as a pancake and get worked by their hosts for the game’s first 5 to 10 minutes. Tonight however, the Flames came out with some jam and played the Ducks pretty even through the game’s opening minutes. The Ducks do open the scoring though when Maroon corrals his own rebound and banks the puck off of Hiller and into the net for a 1-0 Duck lead. The Flames have their chances, but the period ends with the Ducks in control.

The second period is all Anaheim to start, they out shoot, out chance and eventually out score the Flames when Ryan Kessler gets the puck from behind the net and beats Hiller high blocker side to make it 2-0 Ducks. The Flames find their legs and get back into things on the shot clock before finally finding the back of the net. On a Calgary powerplay Hudler feeds Gaudreau in the slot who slips a deft backhand back to Mark Giordano who wires it past Gibson and the score is tightened to 2-1.

Just 16 seconds into the third the Ducks effectively put things away when David Perron bested Dougie Hamilton down low and fed the puck into the slot where Ryan Getzlaf who slipped past a stumbling Derryk Engellend to make it 3-1 Anaheim. A few minutes later Engellend bobbles a puck and gets stripped by Kesler who beats Hiller high and it’s 4-1 for the homeside and the game is essentially over. The ex-Canuck barrage continues late when Kevin Bieksa finds the twine on a Duck powerplay to make it 5-1 Ducks. A late goal by Michael Backlund rounds out the scoring, keeping the Anaheim curse very much alive.

Three Stars

1.Ryan Kesler: Pesky ex-Canucks scores twice for the red hot Ducks. He may be annoying as hell, but you can’t deny the guy has talent.
2.Ryan Getzlaf: Seems to have put that miserable start behind him, scores the game winner and is a force down low all night for the Ducks.
3.Mark Giordano: Scored Calgary’s first goal and was noticeable all night.

Big Save

The Flames came oh so close in the second when David Jones took the puck to the net with a wrister that hit a leg then a Flame then Gibson’s glove then the cross bar then Lance Bouma’s skate and then under Gibson in a crazy exchange that stayed out of the Duck net.

The Goat

Have to go Derry Engellend in this one. He lost Getzlaf 15 seconds into the third period for the Ducks’ third goal and then coughed up the puck all by himself for Kesler’s 2nd to make it 4-1 Ducks. A tough three or four minutes in the third for Engellend.

Mr. Clutch

Tyler Wotherspoon. Solid 2nd game in the NHL for the call up from Stockton. Pulled away from Nakladal in ice time and was a +1, hit a goal post and should have had his first NHL goal. Giving the Flames something to ponder for next year’s camp.

Odds and Ends

I’ve had a tough time stomaching the goaltending decisions of late, but I have to admit starting Hiller tonight didn’t bother me. He was solid against Vancouver giving his team a chance to win which they eventually did. The fact he started the Vancouver game after laying an egg in Arizona and then again on the previous two home games was a head scratcher though. I get letting a goaltender run with it to some degree, but he can’t be the worst player on the ice and continue to get the start. That has to be deflating to the other players. Tonight? Well he gave up 5 so that can’t be a great thing, but how many were his fault really? Don’t like his weak blocker though and he was victimized twice there tonight on Kesler’s first and Bieksa’s third period goal. Clearly there’s a book out on him … Wish that Wotherspoon post had gone in, would have been a nice first NHL goal for a defenseman. Had to chuckle at the young Flame shaking his head on the bench watching the jumbotron replay. … I wouldn’t call the Flames deep, but by moving Bennett to his natural position of center on the third line the Flames do have talent throughout their top nine and can sustain pressure from time to time. They are a winger or two short of being a contending team however, and have to hope they get some progression from the likes of Ferland, or a promotion from a prospect like Poirier. Or a nice lottery outcome in June would do the trick as well! … How many goal posts was that? 9? 10? What a crazy game for iron clanging. The Ducks lit up Hiller through the first half of the game, but the Flames hit iron behind Gibson the rest of the way. Both teams could have had very different games with an inch here or there. … Said it above, but was impressed by Wotherspoon’s game tonight. Hartley obviously started to find trust in the young defenseman’s game as he pulled away from Nakladal in ice time and made his mark more and more as the game wore on.

Next Up

The mini two game California road trip continues on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Game time 8pm on Sportsnet.

Lines:

Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Jiri Hudler
Joe Colborne – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik
Micheal Ferland – Sam Bennett- David Jones
Lance Bouma – Matt Stajan – Brandon Bollig

Mark Giordano – T.J. Brodie
Derryk Engellend – Dougie Hamilton
Tyler Wotherspoon – Jakub Nakladal

Jonas Hiller



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