Flames rally twice to eliminate Canucks; will face Ducks in 2nd round
The Calgary Flames advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 7-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 of their first-round series Saturday night.
The Flames rallied from a 3-0 first-period deficit and then overcame a 4-3 third-period hole with four goals in the final frame.
Calgary will now face the Anaheim Ducks, who swept the Winnipeg Jets in their opening-round series.
The Flames won a playoff series for the first time since 2004, when the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated them in seven games to win the Stanley Cup.
Star Performer: Flames forward Jiri Hudler scored two goals and added two assists. His first goal tied the game at 4-4, and he added an empty-netter to put the game out of reach.
Turning Point: Matt Stajan's goal with 4:17 remaining gave the Flames a 5-4 lead. The forward finished with three points.
Goalie Comparison: Ryan Miller was shaky in the Canucks' crease, much like Flames starter Jonas Hiller, who was pulled in the first period after allowing two goals on three shots.
Karri Ramo settled down after allowing a goal on the first shot he faced.
| Goalie | Shots | GA | Saves | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller | 31 | 5 | 26 | .839 |
| Ramo | 19 | 2 | 17 | .895 |
| Hiller | 3 | 2 | 1 | .333 |
Top Highlight: Just when it looked like the Flames buried themselves in an insurmountable hole, they got a highlight-reel goal from an unlikely source.
Michael Ferland tipped home a perfect pass from Stajan to get Calgary on the board and kick-start the Flames' first comeback.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Stat of the Night: The Canucks' first three goals were scored in 9:42, setting a franchise record for the fastest trio of markers to begin a playoff game, according to the NHL's PR department.
Series at a Glance
Game 1: Flames 2, Canucks 1
Game 2: Canucks 4, Flames 1
Game 3: Flames 4, Canucks 2
Game 4: Flames 3, Canucks 1
Game 5: Canucks 2, Flames 1
Game 6: Flames 7, Canucks 4