Ducks survive late flurry from Flames for 3-2 Game 1 win

If the Calgary Flames want to win their opening round series with the Anaheim Ducks, they will need to find a way to win in Anaheim.

On Thursday night, the Flames dropped their 28th straight game in Anaheim, 3-2, in Game 1 of their series.

Ryan Getzlaf, Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell scored for the Ducks.

The win was not easy for Anaheim.  They faced a 5-on-3 penalty kill with under two minutes left in regulation but yielded only one shot on goal during the two-man disadvantage to the Flames.

With just 20 seconds left in regulation, John Gibson stoned two shots from the Flames to preserve the lead and get the Ducks the win.

“He found a way to get in front of it. Big stop,” Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. “I thought that the penalty-killing that we were able to provide tonight, we made some mistakes on clears, we were soft on clears where we should have had the puck down the ice. … Usually your best penalty-killer is your goalie anyways, 90 percent of the time.”

Gibson made 30 saves in the win.

The Flames had taken a 2-1 lead in the second period after goals from Sean Monahan in the first period and Sam Bennett in the middle frame.

The Ducks took control of the second period on a series of penalties to Calgary to take a 3-2 lead into the third.

“We took way too many penalties. We know that … we have to sharpen up a bit,” the Flames’ Mark Giordano said.

[WATCH: All Flames vs. Ducks highlights | RELATED: Complete Calgary vs. Anaheim series coverage]

Brian Elliott took the loss on 38 saves.

“We had our opportunities to tie it up and we didn’t,” Calgary forward Kris Versteeg. “Now we move on to the next one.”

The Flames had their chances but they will need to tighten up on the defense and limit the Ducks’ shots; 41 shots on goal is not a recipe for getting that win in Anaheim.

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