Season Series
Ducks: 3-1-1: 7 points
Flames: 2-3: 4 points
FYI: I'll only do an extended write-up today as it's the series opener.
Context is important. Simply looking at numbers doesn't tell the whole story, but we as Flames fans could tell you that. All year long we look like a team that can't handle the opposition, but our distinct playing style is the perfect system for a team with our particular talent, and type of players, to win games. There were only a few teams that gave us particular problems throughout the year. One was the St. Louis Blues, who we matchup poorly against, period. Another was the Wild who we lost all our games to this year, but we only met them when they were playing in god mode for nearly 2 months straight, so it's tough to judge that one. The last was the Anaheim Ducks, but we only had moderate difficulty with them. Half of our 6 losses against the Pacific division this year came against the Ducks (which is truly remarkable to have a 22-6-1 record in your division).
Those 3 losses came at various times. The first was a close 3-2 loss in Anaheim, which followed a close 4-3 shootout win by a week. That loss in Anaheim was very even, with the shots being 28-27 for Anaheim, but the Ducks were in control for most of the first two periods going up 2-0 on very fortunate bounces directly onto Perry's stick. A huge 3rd period by the Flames made it very close. The backbreaker was the winning goal by Palmieri, who scored with 15 seconds left in the 2nd to go up 3-0. Hiller admitted that he should have been better on the weak goal that ended up being the game winner. However, this was a period in mid-November when the Flames were playing very solid hockey and winning a lot, and a 1-1 hard fought split home and away isn't surprising against a team like Anaheim.
The next meeting came with Joni Ortio in net, riding a hot streak that saw the Flames win 4 straight. The team wasn't playing particularly well though, and Ortio was the biggest reason for the wins. It showed in Anaheim when he was a little off as they put up 4 goals on 10 shots, forcing Hiller to enter the game. However, the final shot total was 28-23 for the Flames. Unfortunately, the bounces never seemed to go the Flames way, but they always went the Ducks way in a frustrating 6-3 loss. Chalk it up to an off-night for the team and the goaltending, which of course happened in the Honda Center.
The next loss came on home ice in an ugly 6-3 loss again. It was during a stretch where the Flames looked a little gassed, and were having trouble playing their up-tempo style of play. It was right in the middle of a stretch at the end of February where the Flames went 4-4-1 in 10 games. It was a bad loss, as the Flames managed to build a 2-0 lead halfway into the 2nd period. The collapse happened with a fluke bounce off a net-crashing Cogliano to score their first, but the Flames were still up 2-1 to start the 3rd. This is where the Ducks showed their ability to come back in the 3rd period to score 4 unanswered goals against a bewildered Flames team that wasn't used to being the worse of 2 teams in the 3rd. After they tied it Hiller was really fighting the puck and could be blamed for 2 of the next 3 goals, but the entire team just lost the plot. Fair to say this is where inexperience showed for a young team that had trouble finding ways to win.
However, there was one more meeting that the Flames found a way to overcome an awful start en route to a 6-3 win; the first home game after a long eastern road trip. Getzlaf scored 22 seconds into the game, and the Ducks were up 2-0 after 3 minutes on another Getzlaf goal. However, the Flames came back to tie it up at 2 going into the 2nd. That's not including a goal that was called back on a Gaudreau high stick touch, which was dubious at best. The Calgary attack wouldn't be denied as they scored another 2 goals by the halfway mark in the 2nd period to go up 4-2. After that, it was a rather pedestrian affair, but Ramo did have to make several good saves in order to preserve the win. But this game served to show that when the Flames offense is clicking, they can absolutely dominate.
So what does all this mean? 5 games is a relatively decent sample, although the games did come at very different times, and you saw the growth in the Flames' game from the games at the beginning of the year to the end of the year. What more important is that they learned how to win a key game after a bad loss. Here's what I noticed in each of these games:
-The Ducks are very physical in front of the net, both attacking and defending. This is something the Flames will have to fight through at times, especially defending.
-The Ducks best chances came right in front of the net, time after time. As long as the Flames control the front of their net, they should be good defensively, but that's easier said than done against a large forechecking team like Anaheim.
-The Flames score best when they are moving the puck and playing with speed. Anaheim showed that they have difficulty dealing with that speed at times this year, and they are especially prone to quick puck movement in the offensive zone.
-BOTH of these teams are counter-attacking teams, and BOTH are teams that collapse in front of their goaltender. The style of play is strikingly similar, although Anaheim does a better job on the cycle when they need to.
-Getzlaf is the one player who can play multiple styles and be successful, so containing him is key.
-Ramo is better than Gibson, right now anyways. In the event of needing a backup, the Flames have the better option.
Regular Season Stats Comparison
GF/G: Flames-2.89; Ducks-2.78
Some better numbers for the Ducks in the playoffs, but that will happen when you sweep a team instead of have a 6 game series. The Flames PIM number is inflated by the couple of games with a lot of misconducts, so it's better to look at times short-handed which is Flames-16 and Ducks-13. In the regular season, the Flames had the upper hand in many categories, so don't forget that this could be much closer than people are making it out to be.
There's a fantastic breakdown of the goaltending matchup on the Flames website that's worth a read on it's own:
I found this piece particularly interesting, as it might bode well for the Flames style of attack:
Quote:
It can be seen in the 32 clean-look goals he gave up, many of which came on far-side shots from distance against the rush. It makes sense since Andersen, who gave up 37 percent of his goals against the rush, tends to track back on these attacks with small pushes laterally.
So when the Flames are on the rush, shoot, shoot, shoot, even from the outside.
Roster Notes: Giordano is skating, but nobody should expect him back before training camp. The progress on Diaz, Byron, and Bouma is slow, but Diaz could be back sometime this series if everything goes well. Nate Thompson is still out for the Ducks, but could be back in this series at some point. Gibson is still fighting a hand injury and could be ready to go as soon as tonight, but LaBarbera will be the backup otherwise. Jiri Sekac and James Wisniewski are healthy scratches unless something changes.
p.s.-remember everyone, this is fun and we probably have no business winning this series. In the event we do lose, please keep it calm and rational around here.
GO FLAMES GOOOOO!!!!!!!!
__________________
"You know, that's kinda why I came here, to show that I don't suck that much" ~ Devin Cooley, Professional Goaltender
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Pretty simple, if they want to win the series they have to win at least one in their barn. Might as well get it over with tonight.
Ducks are the favorites and I wouldn't be shocked if the Flames lost this series, but I am really excited to see what kind of push back this team has against them. There is zero pressure on them, might as well go out, have some fun and see what happens.
I'm sick and tired of that stupid Honda center curse. It's the stupidest curse in all of sports. #### it to hell. Gonna need to have at least a split if we want to come out on top this series. If we take this game, our chances are good.
This will be a nice change of pace after the Vancouver series and wanting so bad for the Flames to crush the Canucks. Now I can sit back and cheer without stressing about anything that goes wrong for the Flames, everything from here on out is pure gravy
3-1 Flames, as they stun the Ducks who take them too lightly and break the Honda Center curse
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My prediction and hope is that the Flames will win 1 of the first 2 games in Anaheim, but it won't be tonight.
There has been so much talk about the Ducks, and how great they cycle, how physical they are, great skill, etc etc etc, I feel like the Flames may forget to play their own game tonight, focusing too much on defending Getzlaf, Perry, Kesler and others. I'm worried about this because of how the Flames played against the Penguins in the regular season... They gave almost too much respect to the high end skill and talent of the Penguins and by hyper focusing on those players, forgot to play their own game in the process.
Just gotta get 1 of 2... Then it becomes interesting.
Round 2, Game 1: Flames @ Ducks, 8 pm, SN, NBCSN, TVA
