Ducks vs Calgary Flames

Even though the Anaheim Ducks' home record against the Calgary Flames at the Ponda is very favorable, you never want to take anything for granted. Especially in a Western Conference playoff race that's this tight.

The Ducks need every point they can get.


Calgary Flames goalkeeper Miikka Kiprusoff

Normally, I see this guy in goal for the Flames and I figure our Ducks' work is cut out for them. Kipper is one of the best.

But even the best have bad days.


Duck, Duck, Goalie

After only the first 6 minutes of play, the Ducks had lit the lamp three times. Ryan Getzlaf started the onslaught with a wrister top shelf, followed by Corey Perry netting one on the power play. Francois Beauchemin would finish with a slap shot from the blue line.


Not even close, Kipper. Can you see the puck right behind the goal line??

That was the end of Kipper's night. Enter backup Henrik Karlsson.

I was as elated as any other Ducks fan at this point. Heck, our boys played a hard game last night in the Kings' barn that went into OT... it was a gift that we'd jump out early with a 3-goal lead. However, I feared this would make our boys unfocused and sloppy, thinking they had the Flames pegged.

Unfortunately, I was right. It took only 20 minutes to unravel that lead. By the end of the second, the Flames had bounced back, and Karlsson had effectively kept his net clean. The score was now tied 3-3.

A Ducks game is never a Ducks game without nervous nailbiting. Seven minutes into the third period, Flames captain Jerome Iginla puts his team in the lead. Ducks spend the next 10 trying to find that equalizer. I'm sure I'm not the only fan wishing Kipper would return to the crease.

Can you believe we actually had a three-goal lead at one point in this game??


Luca Sbisa fending off Iginla

At the moment of truth, two minutes before the end of regulation, goaltender Dan Ellis is pulled for the extra attacker. Teemu Selanne, whose name must translate into "Clutch" in Finnish, tips in a Getzlaf feed.

Twice in two days, Ducks head into 4-on-4 overtime.

And again, another deja vu moment. Bobby Ryan gets tripped up in a breakaway attempt and is awarded a penalty shot.


Bobby had better luck with his penalty shot against the Red Wings' Jimmy Howard

Unfortunately, Bobby wouldn't end the game with a winner in OT. That title would go instead to Perry who has a Toni Lydman one-timer deflect off of him and under Karlsson. The Ponda erupts in yells and screams.

DUCKS WIN AGAIN IN OT!!


Probably just as relieved as us fans, the Ducks pounced on Perry in celebration


A few words from Perry in the post-game interview, as first star of the game

Ducks at Calgary, vs Flames

There are two more games for our boys before the Olympic break. And of course, they're a back-to-back over the weekend. Our boys are in Calgary tonight, and then in Edmonton tomorrow. It would be nice to nab a playoff spot prior to the Olympic break... I'm just saying.

Starting in the first period, our boys come out of the gates with good energy, but one quickly notices that Calgary is controlling the puck a lot more.

Towards the middle of the first, our boys are awarded a few scoring chances. But keep in mind, it's Miikka Kiprusoff in the Calgary net. His game is downright phenomenal tonight. Honestly, you can't give Kipper all of the credit. The Flames defense is spot on, it's as if there's a forcefield that forms below the circles every time our Ducks enter the zone. Not to mention, our hometown heroes must have left their forecheck in Anaheim. There's simply not enough pressure on the Flames, and they take advantage.

Ducks do get a goal, but the lamp didn't light. Upon further review, it's noted that a shot from Scott Niedermayer at the blue line gets deflected by Troy Bodie, flies into the net shortside, hits the camera, and pops out. It happened so quickly nobody notices... but it's deemed a good goal.

Unfortunately, the Flames tie it up before the end of the period.

Starting the second, I'm hoping our boys will find some energy... but I'm wondering if maybe their minds are on the Olympics and that's why they look a bit hesitant and unfocused?

The boys do have more bite in the second, but not until after the Flames score again. And that one stung as it came right on the heels of an open net opportunity for Ryan Carter, who fanned on the shot.

After a fruitless Duck power play, Bodie takes on Pardy and it's a good tussle.

It's starting to get a bit frustrating, watching our boys have their chances, but not be able to get one past Kipper. I'm sure the frustration is felt on the ice as well... our boys are playing hard, but just not getting the job done.

Passing starts to get sloppy, shots on goal start to get aimless, and that puck posession problem only worsens. Duck players grab the puck only to quickly turn it over or pass to the wrong guy.

Kudos to Saku Koivu, he had a number of good shots on goal. Would've loved to see him get one. Kudos to Steve Eminger as well, doing what he can against blocked shots and keeping the crease clean.

And then Iginla scores again...

Ducks go into the third trailing 1-3. Matt Beleskey bravely takes on Curtis Glencross about five minutes in, and Koivu follows up the energy boost with a puck to the plumbing behind Kipper.

Our hometown heroes manage to stop the bleeding, keeping the Flames from scoring again in the third, but they just can't get their cycle game going. Calgary takes this one, 3-1.

Ducks vs Calgary Flames

How about it, Ducks?

Based on prior track records for the Calgary Flames here at the Ponda, you'd think our boys would have a good chance at nabbing two points. But this is hockey, and these are our Anaheim Ducks. So you never know.

Yours truly watched Flames captain (and all-around great guy) Jerome Iginla net a hat-trick against the Los Angeles Kings during their last game, and I'm understandably worried. The Flames are playing Miikka Kiprusoff (another personal favorite) in net, while our Ducks will put their faith in J.S. Giguere. Not to take anything away from my Ducks, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Kipper is a huge goaltender, arguably the best in the league currently. To say it'll be tough to get pucks past him is an understatement.


New headgear for Jiggs

One thing is certain, it was set to be a great game from the very start, as most games between Ducks and Flames tend to be.

Our hometown heroes came out looking good. Lots of grinding in the corners put pucks on Ducks' sticks, I'm liking how our boys are winning a majority of their battles along the boards. Strong forechecks and aggressive play sets the stage early on for this game.

An already physical start got even more physical as big George Parros drops gloves with monster Brian McGrattan. This guy is scary. But the fight's a good one, and fans are treated to a relatively equal exchange of punches.


Parros and McGrattan doin' the tango

I'm happy to note that Jiggy is holding his own nicely between the pipes. Of course, it definitely helps when the rest of your team, especially your defense, decides to suit up at the same time you do. But confidence is contagious on the rink, and Jiggy is a big piece of that tonight.

Our boys are on the penalty kill first, with a hooking call on Kyle Calder, and soon after that again, with an unfortunately questionable hooking call on my boy Bobby Ryan. Since Jiggy is the one in net, Ducks penalty killers take a different approach. Hanging back towards the middle of the ice, they allow Jiggy a clean look at the puck at all times. It's been reported that Jiggy prefers his mates stay out of the way through long bids on goal from the offense.

Some goalies want all shots blocked as best as possible, others prefer clean, deflection-less paths between puck and glove.

We do a good job on the penalty kill, but the Flames still net the first goal of the game as ex-Duck Glencross neatly evades d-man Nicky Boynton and challenges Jiggy one-on-one. The puck pops the water bottle and the Flames take the early lead.

But our big line answers back. Ryan Getzlaf pressures the puck away from behind the Flames' net, right to Corey Perry waiting in the slot. He fires the puck towards Kipper, who blocks the shot but leaves a rebound in the crease that Bobby is able to knock into a nearly open net.


Another goal for the Bobby Ryan goal tally

And again, a Ryan Whitney slap shot from the point (assisted by James Wisniewski from down the blue line) makes it through to the Flames' net. It rebounds off Kipper's shoulder, and Getzlaf is there when it lands to hammer it home.


That assist for Perry gives him a 15-game point streak, second longest in franchise history

Joffrey Lupul is still out with back spasms, so coach Carlyle has kept Evgeny Artyukhin on the second line with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu. There are some coordination issues still needing to be worked out, guys needing to connect passes and match strides, but those get better with practice. I'm still liking the potential of this second line combo.

The game goes without a goal all the way until the final 18 seconds of the third period. Playing 6-on-5, Iginla comes up big for the equalizer. On one hand, I'm happy our boys all but shut him down for most of the game. On the other, it's just heartbreaking to watch the regulation win slip through our boys' fingers with 18 seconds to go.

The ensuing five minutes of OT go at a draw, and we move to the shootout. Ducks shooters are Perry, Getzy, and Selanne. I still believe Bobby should get the shootout opportunity over Getzy, if anything, because Bobby puts 500% more shots on goal than Getzy does. But tonight, it's Selanne that comes up big with a Finnish finish.


Blurry, but this is the Finnish Flash with the game-winning biscuit in the basket

Win or loss, our boys should be proud of their play tonight. Even better, they have something to show for it in the standings. Two points for our hometown heroes, and yet another reason for the Flames to loathe the Ponda.


Ducks celebrate a win with Jiggy