CALGARY – The Calgary Flames advanced to the second round of NHL
playoffs for the first time since 2004 and will face the Anaheim
Ducks. Not considered a playoff contender this season, here are five
reasons the Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks four games to two in
the first round.
- A light team plays a heavy game
The series against Vancouver turned nasty in the second and third
games. The Flames, the playoff team with the lightest average
weight, took care of themselves and each other. Calgary had the
third-least penalty minutes during the regular season. As of Sunday,
they had the most in the first round with 152.
- T.J. Brodie
“Supersonic”, according to coach Bob Hartley, the tireless
defenceman was Calgary‘s bedrock on offence and defence. His speed
with and without the puck opened up scoring chances and his poise in
Calgary‘s end was a heart-rate relaxant. Averaged 27 minutes a game
and was plus-three.
- Sam Bennett and Michael Ferland
Calgary got new forwards for the post-season without trading for
them. Stepping in for injured Lance Bouma, Ferland was a punishing
deterrent against Vancouver. In addition to 40 hits in six games,
Ferland scored late in the first period Saturday to spark Calgary‘s
comeback. With just one regular-season game under his belt,
18-year-old Bennett scored the game-winner in Game 3 and brings a
combination of speed, skill and scrappiness to the post-season
lineup.
- Top line of Hudler, Gaudreau and Monahan
Somewhat quiet with three power-play goals between them over the
first five games of the series, centre Sean Monahan and wingers Jiri
Hudler and Johnny Gaudreau brought it when it really mattered. They
produced four goals in Game 6 including two equalizers. Calgary had
zero second-period goals in the series until Monahan and Gaudreau
collected their first at even-strength Saturday.
- Bob Hartley
Calgary‘s coach continues to foster his players’ belief in
themselves and each other with a light, but decisive touch. Pulling
starter Jonas Hiller with less than eight minutes played in Game 6
wasn’t an “uh-oh” moment. Hartley followed the philosophy during
the season of “he who wins the last game, starts the next.” The
Flames play as confidently in front of Karri Ramo as they do Hiller,
in contrast to the Mikka Kiprusoff days when the Flames were
tentative in front of a seldom-used backup. Hartley preaches “no
fear” to his troops and he practised it with his bold goalie move.
“I said ‘there’s no way that I’m going back to Vancouver,”‘ the
coach said. “My job was to go down striking and not get caught
looking.”
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