In Calgary, it came down to overtime on Sunday night. The Flames had the better of play through regulation but only managed a 2-2 tie with the Dallas Stars.
The Flames outshot the Stars, 52-23 through regulation and 15-5 in the extra session.
Johnny Gaudreau finally put an end to the charade with a goal at 15:09 in the extra session for a 3-2 win in Game 7, to send the Flames to a second round meeting with the Edmonton Oilers.
“It came right down to the end there in Game 7 in overtime,” Gaudreau said. “You dream about stuff like that, scoring in a Game 7 in overtime.
“I was just trying to put it on net. I mean, throughout the whole series, most of the time you put it on net it’s not going in against this kid. I got a good look, and it went over his shoulder there.”
The Flames are looking forward to the Oilers match-up.
“I’ve been here for nine years and never had even a sniff of a chance to play them in the playoffs,” Gaudreau said. “It’s pretty special and it’ll be a lot of fun. It’s going to be good for the province. It’s going to be fun for them, for us. It’s going to be a pretty cool series.”
Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves in the Flames win.
Jamie Benn scored on Dallas’ first shot in the first period for a 1-0 lead.
“Everyone played their hearts out,” Dallas coach Rick Bowness said. “As a coach, that’s all you can ask. Your players give you everything they’ve got, and I’m proud of the effort they gave tonight. I’m proud of the way we battled. They were a better team in the regular season, and they played well tonight. Give them credit.”
Calgary’s Tyler Toffoli tied it, 1-1, early in the second period.
Just 31 seconds later, Vladislav Namestnikov restored the Dallas lead, 2-1.
Matthew Tkachuk knotted the game, 2-2, near the midway point of the middle frame.
“It was such a hard series to win,” Tkachuk said. “It feels very good, but we don’t want to stop there.”
The story of the game was Jake Oettinger. He made 64 saves through the extra session.
“He played a [heck] of a game,” Benn said. “Haven’t seen too many like that. I mean, if it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t even have been close to overtime or having a chance to win. He’s a phenomenal young goalie. He’s going to be great for this organization for a long time.”
Oettinger is only the second goalie since 1955 to make 60 or more saves in a Game 7.
“He’s been unreal all playoffs,” the Stars’ John Klingberg said. “I honestly haven’t seen a better performance from a goalie, so he should be proud of himself.”
Without Oettinger’s efforts the outcome would have been a foregone conclusion midway through regulation.
“We peppered him so much. One had to have gone in for us,” Tkachuk said. “Guys worked so hard. I said it this morning, I think that the way we’re conditioned wears teams down. We’re built for a Game 7 type of game.”
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