Calgary Flames Continue Mastery of 3rd Periods
By Len Nunes
Nov 18, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames goalie Jonas Hiller (1) guards his net as Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg (33) tries to score during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Our Calgary Flames played 25 minutes of great hockey and won. A 4-3 shootout win against a team I have pencilled in as the new Stanley Cup Champions. Again, this is a win where Karma is going to pay us back for only playing 1/3 of it but for now let’s review the game focused on the streamlined positive.
The main observation I had from the 1st period was that the Anaheim Ducks turned the puck over in their own zone approximately six times but our Calgary Flames could not generate any offence from their miscues.
The main observation about the 2nd period is the physically bigger Anaheim Ducks had sapped pretty much all the youthful exuberance out of our Calgary Flames lineup.
What is it about 3rd periods? Is the added dimension of a deadline (knowing it’s the last period) a motivating factor to a young team mostly trying to prove it deserves to be where they in the standings (playoffs NOT draft lottery).
When Jiri Hudler scored at the 3:25 mark of the 3rd period to cut Anaheim’s league to 2-1, I knew this had turned into a “real” game again but had no idea just how intense the Flames attack would be. The line of Johnny Gaudreau-Markus Granlund-Jiri Hudler would factor in on all three Calgary Flames 3rd period goals. A passing clinic put on by Johnny Gaudreau quite possibly could have even set up a goal by the honourary 21st man Peter Maher (newly retired legendary Flames radio broadcaster).
The overtime period featured 4 of the 5 minutes being played in the Anaheim zone. There was no time for note taking, the action was too fast and furious and it was our Flames in control!
I had wondered if the ghosts of hockey seasons past would affect Jonas Hiller tonight in net…judging by the height he got after he realized the final Anaheim shootout attempt had deflected over the net…demons exorcized!
Wow, just wow!