Anaheim Ducks oust Calgary Flames from NHL playoffs with 3-1 victory

Even if – given the criticism flowing in his and the Ducks’ direction after their June reunion – he might feel he has reason to do so.

St. Louis Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, of Russian Federation, brings the puck down the ice as Minnesota Wild’s Marco Scandella, left, watches during the second period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in St. Louis. “It’s more about the team”. That’s kind of how you get over it. I don’t think it’s an individual thing. This is just one step along the way here. Calgary has started strong, but has allowed the Ducks to creep back into games they might have not deserved to be in. This is a group that knows its championship window won’t remain open forever.

That kind of resiliency is what the team needs as they try to get to the Stanley Cup finals, it will make life hard for the opposing team as no lead would be safe as long as the Ducks are on the ice.

With 2:39 left in the game, Gulutzan gamled it all and pulled Johnson for an extra attacker. “We’re going to try to do everything in our power to send a message and just make them a little nervous”, Calgary rookie Matthew Tkachuk said during Tuesday’s optional skate.

“You have to tip your hat to the other team sometimes”.

But it is the Ducks that are moving on.

Before the team can get to that, they have to decide who will be making said changes. The thorough domination of San Jose’s 7-0 victory over Edmonton two nights ago only tied that series at two games apiece, assuring it won’t end until at least Saturday night and possibly Monday if it goes seven games (Game 5 is tonight in Edmonton).

Neither Brian Elliott nor Chad Johnson could stem the tide of a 3-1 loss to the Ducks Wednesday night.

The Ducks are still on a high after a two-game roll through Calgary.

They won without their two best defencemen, Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen, who were both sidelined by injuries. Vatanen played in Game 1 but did not make another appearance as he deals with a lingering upper-body injury.

The Flames players spoke Tuesday about playing the game with greater desperation, but nothing about the way they started Wednesday smacked of desperation.

“We said coming into this game, we need to win one game and the only thing that matters is this one game”, Dubnyk said. Hopefully, it’s a learning experience for all these guys going forward.

There’s no telling whether the Blackhawks, for all their triumphs, will be able to climb their way out of a 3-0 hole, but for now they’ve ceded the mantle as team to beat in the Western Conference to the Ducks.

“It’s a huge advantage”, defenseman Kevin Bieksa said.

Gillies is 23, or roughly the same age as John Gibson, Matt Murray and Connor Hellybuyck, other young goalies getting a chance for prime-time National Hockey League duty.

Craig Anderson turned aside 22 shots and Bobby Ryan scored 5:49 into the third period as Ottawa took a 3-1 best-of-seven series lead on Boston. We made our push for the playoffs and got into the playoffs. He stopped the first puck fired his direction, but Thompson buried the rebound to give the Pacific Division pennant-winners a two-goal lead.

“We’re capable of winning this series”, winger Matt Martin said.