Calgary Flames: What Went Right in the Series Opener

The Calgary Flames may have lost game 1 in their first round series against the Anaheim Ducks, but there were some things they did well in that game.

The Calgary Flames had an unfortunate loss against the Anaheim Ducks in game 1 of the first round. And some things went wrong. Which we talked about here. But the Flames weren’t all bad. There were some things they did quite well. Well, certain players did quite well.

And with game 2 tonight and the series on the line, there were some things that can continue forward into this game. If they want to come out of this series not only alive, but actually winning, they should continue doing the things that were working out well for them in game 1.

Of course, we already all know about this stinking Honda Center curse. And if they can break it tonight in game 2 and tie up the series before coming back home to Calgary, there’s no telling what this team is capable of.

So here are three key factors that helped them come close in game 1 and what can help them win more games in this series.

Brian Elliott

I can’t even begin to talk about how much we all need to love and appreciate Brian Elliott. Like we predicted, he was going to be the Calgary Flames x-factor in the playoffs. And boy did he ever show his abilities in game 1.

He stopped 38 of 41 shots. However, none of the goals were even his fault. Two of them were powerplay goals that both deflected off Flames defencemen and one was a 3-on-0 because of a poor line change from the team. Nothing he could do in either cases. And I don’t want to get into that line change because it’ll just make me cry.

But Elliott was spectacular the entire game and was a reason the Flames even came close. Now, I do feel bad for him, though. You could tell he wasn’t exactly happy with the team. He didn’t have to come right out and say it, but based off his post-game comments, you could tell he was quite frustrated.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"It’s tough,” said the heroic Brian Elliott, “when we give them everything.“Two powerplay goals and a bad change. It’s not like they earned it that much.“We kinda gave it to them.”“We clean things up and we’ll take care of business.”"

If the rest of the team can clean things off in their own end, then the Moose can continue being the backbone of this team and can help lead them to a win.

Kris Versteeg’s experience

A major reason players like Kris Versteeg and Troy Brouwer were brought to the Calgary Flames was their veteran playoff experience. And it definitely showed in game 1, especially with two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Kris Versteeg. He was one of the best Flames players and had two primary assists on both goals the Flames had, one coming on the powerplay.

Somebody like him will definitely help the Flames going forward in not only this series, but if they make it past the first round, all the way to the end (potentially). He was buzzing all game.

But not only must this be exciting for him because he’s helping his new team in the post-season, but he also watched this team growing up.

Calgary Flames

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“It’s amazing, I watched the Flames growing up, I was a part of the Red Mile in 2004. I had just turned 18 and had a couple shots to celebrate a Martin Gelinas goal,” Versteeg reminisced. “I still kind of remember the whole process and everything – how crazy it was in my hometown and in Calgary in those areas.“It’s really exciting to be a part of this stuff now and being able to play for the team.”“Steeger has been real valuable for us all year,” head coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He’s got an edge to his game, he’s got good experience and he’s a very smart player. He’s been excellent for us on the power play, he’s added a lot to our team right now.“This is the time those guys kind of come to the forefront, with the experience they have. Some of the things he said in the meeting prior to the series have already come into effect now. All that stuff has been talked about and put on the table and it’s going to help us moving forward.”"

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“Steeger’s been in these kind of situations in playoffs and been on long runs a lot of times. He stepped up last night and made some great plays. When the puck’s on his stick you’ve gotta expect a good pass. He showed that last night.” – Sean Monahan on Kris Versteeg’s two-assist contribution in Game 1."

Moving forward, Versteeg can not only contribute points, but he can help this team mentally and can provide that experience that many of these players lack.

Micheal Ferland

Micheal Ferland was also one of the best skaters all night. He led the team with seven shots on goal and had the best even-strength corsi-for% of all Calgary Flames skaters, with 71.41%. He also had three hits which was tied for the team lead that night. However, and this is something I mentioned in what went wrong in game 1, he wasn’t utilized like he could have been.

He only had 11:49 ice-time. This was because he wasn’t put on the powerplay and he wasn’t put on the ice during the empty-net situation. In the last three minutes when the Flames had a two-man advantage for over a minute, the team could have used him. But he wasn’t put on the ice and it left many Flames fans scratching their heads.

He was buzzing all night long. Let’s hope the coaching staff watched replays and videos from game 1 and know that Ferland is a factor and is an important part of this club.

Next: What Went Wrong in the Series Opener

Well, there you have it! Three key factors on what went well for the Flames in game 1. If Elliott can continue being the backbone for the Flames, Versteeg can continue his veteran playoff experience, and the team utilizes Micheal Ferland like they can, I have no doubt in my mind that they can come back to Calgary with a tied up series.

And make the Red Mile come alive again.