ANAHEIM -- After two off days, the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames will get back to the business of playoff hockey Sunday night in Anaheim with the Ducks holding onto a 1-0 series lead following their 6-1 drubbing of the Flames in Game 1 Thursday. Game time is 10 p.m. ET. What to watch for:
Ducks' big boys are rolling: The Flames are going to have to come up with an answer for the Ducks’ big line of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Patrick Maroon or this series is going to get over in a hurry. Getzlaf and Perry had a combined eight points in Game 1 (four points each) and Perry leads all scorers with 11 points in just five postseason games. Yikes. The key for the Flames is to simply keep the puck away from the big trio. As Perry noted, they are not a straight-ahead unit -- they dump the puck in, go and get it and then, more often than not, put it in the net. The Flames have to keep the puck away from the group and that means not turning the puck over in the neutral zone and it means their short-staffed blue line has to move the puck quickly and smartly to avoid letting the big boys set up.
Flames' big boys need to roll too: Although Jiri Hudler, a member of the Flames’ top forward line, played only 6:59 in Game 1, he has skated the last couple of days and is expected to play in Game 2 Sunday night. There was no further information on what injury he might have had. Another member of that line, Johnny Gaudreau, was held out of action in the third period of Game 1 not as a punishment but as a precautionary move, head coach Bob Hartley not wanting to risk injury to his star forward with the score so lopsided. Gaudreau wasn’t pleased but the coach said he’s spoken several times to his young winger since and is expecting him to have a strong game Sunday. In other lineup news, Micheal Ferland, who did not skate with the team on Saturday, was on the ice for the morning skate Sunday and is expected to play. He has been a key part of the Flames’ scoring depth this spring with two goals and two assists in the Flames’ first-round victory over Vancouver. “I’ve still got more to give. I’m looking forward to tonight,” Ferland said. “I’m going to do what I’ve done all playoffs. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Karri the load? Hartley didn’t waste much time in yanking starter Jonas Hiller in Game 1, giving the former Duck netminder the hook just 2:13 into the second period after allowing three goals on 14 shots. Karri Ramo allowed three goals the rest of the way, and Hartley on Friday named Ramo his Game 2 starter. Ramo has appeared in relief three times this spring, but Sunday night will mark his first NHL playoff start. The Flames desperately need Ramo (and if not Ramo, at some point Hiller) to step up and play above and beyond. In Game 1, Ducks starter Frederik Andersen stoned Josh Jooris on an early breakaway and the Ducks went on to score two in the second half of the first period to set the tone for the game. Ramo must have that kind of night, keeping the Flames close, especially early on, if they are to avoid a 2-0 series hole from which it would seem nigh on impossible from which to escape. He said Sunday he won’t be preparing any differently for this assignment than any other game at any other point in the season. Hartley noted that many netminders have used a playoff start as a launching pad.
“There are lots of goalies that made a name for themselves starting in the playoffs,” Hartley said. “I remember as a kid, Ken Dryden, Andy Moog, Patrick Roy. ... So many great names came out right from the playoffs. You need to start somewhere.”
O from the D: Both teams rely on their blue lines to chip in offensively. Sami Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm, who set up the Ducks’ first goal in Game 1, Cam Fowler and Francois Beauchemin have combined for three goals and 14 assists through the Ducks’ first five playoff games. Meanwhile the reliance on the Flames’ blue line for offense might be even more acute given the on-paper mismatch that exists because of the Ducks' significant size advantage. The Flames big three on the blue line -- Kris Russell, T.J. Brodie and Dennis Wideman -- have chipped in three goals and nine assists in seven postseason games. They will continue to need to jump into the play and pressure the Ducks’ defense.
Projected lineups
Ducks
Patrick Maroon-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
Matt Beleskey-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg
Andrew Cogliano-Rickard Rakell-Kyle Palmieri
Emerson Etem-Nate Thompson-Tim Jackman
Hampus Lindholm-Francois Beauchemin
Cam Fowler-Simon Despres
Clayton Stoner-Sami Vatanen
Frederik Andersen
Flames
Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler
Micheal Ferland-Matt Stajan-David Jones
Sam Bennett-Mikael Backlund-Joe Colborne
Brandon Bollig-Josh Jooris-Drew Shore
T.J. Brodie-Deryk Engelland
Kris Russell-Dennis Wideman
David Schlemko-Tyler Wotherspoon
Karri Ramo