Some thoughts on a devastating Game 3 loss:
1) Once again the Calgary Flames outplayed the Anaheim Ducks but there is no way to spin last night's game into a positive light. It was a completely different animal than the first two games in Anaheim.
Simply put, the Flames managed to choke up a golden opportunity to get back into the series. They were on home ice, they led 2-0, 3-1, 4-1, scored three power play goals, didn't take a penalty, and they still lost the game. Did some rulings and bounces go Anaheim's way? Absolutely, but the Flames had the win handed to them on a silver platter and they didn't take it. That's killer.
2) The Flames out-chanced the Ducks 22-17 at 5v5 and own a plus-19 differential throughout the series. Despite that, they have been outscored 7-2 at full-strength. That's the best way to sum up how this series has gone. The Flames have played well and consistently found a way to get nothing out of it.
3) I'm not going to blame Brian Elliott for what happened towards the end of the game but I still don't think he was overly sharp last night. He coughed out a massive rebound on Anaheim's 1st goal and whiffed on Shea Theodore's shot late in the 2nd to allow the Ducks back into the game. I'm not sure if the shot deflected off Dougie Hamilton's stick or not but the shot was slow and from a good distance out so Elliott still had ample time to adjust and make a save. He did not. Some deflections and bounces went Anaheim's way towards the end, which once again was the difference, but it probably wouldn't have come to that if Elliott was a little sharper throughout the game. I'm not the only one who feels that way.
"It's not an easy one. I didn't feel I played very well. I let the team down a little bit," -- Brian Elliott.
— Kristen Odland (@Kristen_Odland) April 18, 2017
4) I thought the power play was excellent in this game. The Flames whipped the puck around with confidence and were able to consistently break down the Ducks and generate good scoring chances. They were rewarded for their efforts with three power play goals and a 60% success rate. It really is a shame it went to waste.
5) Ferland didn't get a ton of ice -- he played just over 13 minutes -- but I thought he was good once again. He finished tied for 1st on the team with four shots on goal, led the game with a plus-5 scoring chance differential at 5v5 and, though he had just one hit, was fiesty, as usual, and involved in a few scrums and battles off faceoffs.
6) The Gaudreau line once again spent more time against Kesler's unit than any other. Randy Carlyle really wants that matchup and it seems like Glen Gulutzan is willing to play along. I imagine this will continue for the length of the series.
7) 3-0 is a big, big, big hole, obviously, but I try to be a positive person so I'll offer this: the Flames have out-chanced the Ducks in all three games. They have nothing to show for it, clearly, but if that continues they're bound to get some results.