ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jonas Hiller was pulled after allowing three goals in the first 22:13 as the Calgary Flames dropped the opening game of their second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks 6-1 on Thursday night.
Corey Perry had two goals and two assists and Ryan Getzlaf scored once and set up three more for the Ducks, who showed no signs of rust after an eight-day layoff following their sweep of the Winnipeg Jets. Emerson Etem, Matt Beleskey and Patrick Maroon also scored.
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Perry has an NHL-best 11 points this post-season.
"Their size, their skill, tonight they put on a show," Flames coach Bob Hartley said of the combination of Perry and Getzlaf. "They’re world-class athletes, they’re franchise players and tonight they really showed it."
Sam Bennett had the Flames’ lone goal at 9:16 in the third period, the rookie’s third of the post-season.
Hiller, the Ducks’ goaltender from 2007 to 2014 before signing with the Flames as a free agent this season, was derisively serenaded with chants from the opening faceoff. The jeers only intensified before Hiller was replaced by Karri Ramo early in the second period after Perry put the Ducks ahead 3-0 on a wraparound shot.
Hiller made 11 saves, and Ramo stopped 18 shots. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves for the Ducks.
Game 2 is Sunday night at Honda Center.
Micheal Ferland absorbed several big hits in the first period and did not return to the game, while Jiri Hudler left in the second.
The Flames’ best chance to stave off the rout came on their first shot, a Josh Jooris breakaway just 2:05 into the game. But Andersen made the save, and the Ducks were in control the rest of the way.
"The save was the big thing that got us going," said Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau. "If that puck goes in I think it’s a whole different ball game. It changes the complexion of everything."
Beleskey put the Ducks on top 1-0 at the 10:17 mark of the first period, capitalizing on a gaping net thanks to a pass from Kyle Palmieri. Maroon doubled the lead 2:54 later with a backhand goal.
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That dominance, including a 12-8 advantage in shots, might have been even more pronounced if not for two minor penalties to Perry. The Flames managed only one shot with the man advantage in the first, and have scored on only 1-of-9 power plays away from home this post-season.
Etem converted a Francois Beauchemin miss into the Ducks’ fourth goal midway through the second period, Perry added his second of the game 44 seconds into the third period on the power play, and Getzlaf piled on 2:48 later with another power-play goal.
Notes: Drew Shore made his playoffs debut for the Flames, playing 14:17 with a -1 rating and 2 PIM. … The Flames scratched C Lance Bourma, LW Mason Raymond, D Corey Potter, C Paul Byron, D Raphael Diaz, and C Marcus Granlund. … Ducks G John Gibson (flu) did not dress.
