Flames Lose 4-2 On Home Ice In Game 4
Game 4 was a painful blow to the head for the Flames. After Wednesday night’s exciting win at home for Calgary, Friday’s 4-2 loss to the Ducks was definitely disappointing. Now that Sunday’s game is back to Anaheim, Calgary’s ‘home ice advantage’ is no more, and Friday’s game at the Saddledome could possibly be their last of the season. With the Ducks now leading the series 3-1, the Flames chances of moving on to the next round seems more unlikely.
Our backs are up against the wall but we will #NeverQuit because you will #NeverQuit on us ~ http://t.co/TN8m7RNLvD
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) May 9, 2015
The Flames were able to produce in the first period, but after that, their offense was absolutely shut down. Though Anaheim started off the scoring on a power play, the Flames found the net twice shortly after. After 5:44 of the first, though, the Flames were fresh out of luck. Jakob Silfverberg was the one to get on the board for the Ducks at 3:58, but just 39 seconds later at 4:37 was when Calgary’s young guns made themselves known. Johnny Gaudreau, who struggled to find his game the first couple of meetings in Anaheim, was the star of Wednesday’s game. Gaudreau was not the one to score the Flames first goal, but what was impressive was how he set up Sean Monahan to score. After finding his way through three Anaheim players only to be denied by Frederik Andersen, Sean Monahan got his stick on the rebound and put it in. Micheal Ferland, who had missed the past three games with an undisclosed injury was finally back, and his unassisted goal came from a rocket that beat Andersen blocker side from about 40 feet out. Ferland’s presence was definitely missed, and not just because of his big body on defense.
The second period, Calgary had some chances, but just couldn’t find the net. Anaheim, on the other hand, was able to tie things up at 16:42 on a goal from Andrew Cogliano. Though only one penalty was served with Anaheim on the one-man-advantage, the outcome of the game was reflective of the penalty mistakes made in the second.
Joe Colborne’s high stick call just as the period expired meant the penalty would be carried over into the third. At 1:11 of the third, the Ducks found the lead on the power play on a goal from Matt Beleskey. Beleskey’s four playoff goals have all been acquired in the four games played against Calgary.The unfortunate power play goal wasn’t the last for the Ducks, and Patrick Maroon scored on the empty-net at 19:23. With the first period as the exception, the Flames trailed the Ducks in shots on goal in the last two periods, leading to the shot count being Anaheim: 29, Calgary:27.
“That’s on me,” Colborne said about the penalty per the Calgary Flames. “That’s on me. I definitely let the boys down there. It’s tough. But we’re not out of it yet. We’re going to rebound and come back and have the best game of the year in game 5.”
Bob Hartley analyzes the #Flames setback in Game 4 (VIDEO) ~ http://t.co/dLXYC9cXMG
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) May 9, 2015
Calgary got behind in the game, and the mistakes that they made throughout ended up costing them. Anaheim now has not only the home ice advantage, but they only have one more game to win and they go on to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the conference finals.
