ANAHEIM – Ryan Getzlaf scored a power-play goal at 15:14 of the third period to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 victory against the Calgary Flames in Game 2 of their Western Conference First Round series at Honda Center on Saturday.
The Ducks lead the best-of-7 series 2-0 with Game 3 at Calgary on Monday.
It was Anaheim’s 29th straight home victory against Calgary. The Ducks have won 22 straight in the regular season and seven in a row in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since a 5-2 loss on April 25, 2006, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
After Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton was called for holding Corey Perry’s stick at 14:33, Getzlaf was attempting a cross-ice pass to Jakob Silfverberg from the top of the right faceoff circle, but the puck hit Calgary forward Lance Bouma’s skate at the top of the right hash marks and went past goalie Brian Elliott to make it 3-2.
It was Getzlaf’s second goal of the series.
“We played good,” Anaheim forward Rickard Rakell said. “I thought we deserved that bounce.”
Getzlaf, Silfverberg and Rakell scored all three Ducks goals for the second straight game, and John Gibson made 35 saves.
Flames centre Sean Monahan scored his second power-play goal of the series at 7:01 of the second period to tie the game 2-2. Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa went to the penalty box for slashing Johnny Gaudreau, and late in the power play, Gaudreau took a pass from TJ Brodie and quickly centred it to Monahan, who scored on a one-timer from the slot.
Flames forward Alex Chiasson thought he scored at 9:47 of the second when he banged in the rebound of a Sam Bennett redirection. The NHL Situation Room initiated a review to determine if the puck crossed the goal line, but it was not a reviewable play after referee Brian Pochmara waved off the goal on the ice because of goaltender interference.
The Ducks scored two goals in the first 6:44 of the game.
Silfverberg retrieved a loose puck along the boards and shot it past Elliott from a difficult angle at 3:21to put Anaheim up 1-0.
Rakell scored on a wraparound at 4-on-4 to make it 2-0 at 6:44.
Flames forward Mikael Backlund scored shorthanded with 1:36 left in the first to cut the Ducks lead to 2-1.
“We can’t quit,” Hamilton said. “We haven’t quit all season. We’re going to go back home and turn the series around.”
Already without top defenseman Cam Fowler (knee), the Ducks announced before the start of the game that defenseman Sami Vatanen is day to day with an upper-body injury.
With Calgary forward Matthew Tkachuk serving a double minor for high-sticking Patrick Eaves, Michael Frolik forced a turnover by Silfverberg in the Flames zone and passed ahead to Backlund, who deked to his backhand before beating Gibson on his forehand to make it a one-goal game.
A turnover by defenseman Hampus Lindholm in the Ducks zone led to a prime scoring chance for Micheal Ferland, but Gibson lifted his left shoulder in time to deflect the one-timer from the top of the right circle over the glass at 12:23 of the third period, keeping the game tied 2-2.
Gibson stopped a Troy Brouwer shot with his chest at 8:06 of the second period, then used his outstretched glove to turn away Brouwer on the rebound before making a two-handed save on Bouma’s follow-up attempt while sprawled on his side in the crease.
Defenseman Korbinian Holzer made his NHL playoff debut when he took Fowler’s place in the lineup. He had two hits in 13:05 playing for the first time since April 4. Holzer and defensemen Brandon Montour, Shea Theodore and Josh Manson had 10 games of playoff experience between them entering Saturday, and combined for seven hits and three blocked shots.
