The well-rested Anaheim Ducks, who swept the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, are set to be tested by another pesky team in the form of the Calgary Flames. The Flames are coming off a series win against the favored Vancouver Canucks, thanks to their prolific first line and a relentless style of play.
Will the Ducks extend their win streak in this playoffs? Or will the Flames melt Anaheim right in the very first game of the series? Read on for more about this game below. You can also click here for our preview of Game 1 of the series between the Caps and the Rangers.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Calgary Flames vs. Anaheim Ducks Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 — April 30, 10:00 PM ET, Calgary Flames (+160) at Anaheim Ducks (-190); total: 5.5 — view all NHL lines
Game 2 — May 3, 10:00 PM ET, Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks
Game 3 — May 5, 9:30 PM ET, Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames
Game 4 — May 8, 9:30 PM ET, Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames
Game 5 *— May 10, Time TBA, Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks
Game 6* — May 12, Time TBA, Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames
Game 7* — May 14, Time TBA, Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks
*If necessary
Betting on the Calgary Flames
They’re resilient. They’re surprising. And they’re going into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Calgary, a team that wasn’t expected by many to clinch a playoff spot, is now set to open another series on the road against Anaheim. The Flames are 7-3 in their last 10 road games.
[sc:NHL240 ]Without a doubt, the Flames will go as far as their first line can take them. The trio of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Jiri Hudler was sensational in the regular season and has continued to be excellent in this postseason. The three players combined for 86 goals for Calgary in the regular season, where the Flames finished sixth in scoring with 2.9 goals per game. In the previous series with Vancouver, the same set managed to chip in 17 total points.
The Flames, however, would be in a better position to upset Anaheim if they can continue to get significant contributions from their other lines.
Take for example the third line composed of Michael Ferland, Matt Stajan and David Jones. Ferland rose to the occasion in the first round, scoring two goals and adding three assists while also playing excellent defense. Ferland was a plus-five in the Vancouver series. Stajan and Jones, meanwhile, provided nine total points (three goals, six assists).
On defense, Calgary will have to make do with a Mark Giordano-less defensive unit. Giordano is still recuperating from a biceps injury. With Giordano out, there’ll be a ton of pressure on the shoulders of the likes of Dennis Wideman, T.J. Brodie, Deryk Engelland, and Kris Russell, all of whom will have to step up to contain Anaheim’s lethal scorers.
On the last line of defense for Calgary is Jonas Hiller. Hiller finished the first round with a 3-2 record with a 2.20 goals against average and a .931 save percentage.
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Betting on the Anaheim Ducks
Based on their undefeated streak at home against Calgary, one could easily tell that the Ducks are at their mightiest whenever they play the Flames in Anaheim. The Ducks, who beat Calgary three times in five meetings back in regular season, are an astounding 19-0 in their last 19 home games against the Flames. The last time Anaheim lost at home ice against Calgary was in 2006.
That streak, however, will be under serious threat by a very game Calgary team that has continued to defy expectations. For the Ducks to keep Calgary in check all throughout the series, they’ll have to maximize their advantages over the Flames. That includes them owning a deeper offense and a healthier defensive unit than Calgary.
Aside from a top line that boasts of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, who led the team in the first round with three goals and four assists, the Ducks also have a second line that features Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg.
Those two were tremendous for the Ducks in the first round with Kesler scoring three goals and producing two assists, while Silfverberg had two goals and four assists. They’ll need to step it up even more against Calgary, which has a very aggressive defense that ranked first in the regular season in blocks (1,557).
The man in front of the net for Anaheim will be Frederik Andersen, who went 4-0 in the first round while accumulating a 2.20 GAA and a .924 SV%. The Ducks are 7-3 in Andersen’s last 10 home starts.
Writer’s Prediction
Anaheim (-190) wins, 4-3.
Series Prediction: Ducks win in six games
[sc:NHL490 ]
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