Calgary Flames face off against the Ducks for Game 1

We’ve talked tirelessly about The Carnage.

And, until the final months of the 2016-17 regular season, Gaudreau had been a shadow of his former self.

In both locker-rooms, they’ve had umpteen conversations about discipline.

“For now, with Anaheim winning in overtime, the end is here for me”. “We want to get the puck moving north-south as quickly as we can”. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we need to shoot more. Each time, it was done by ignoring the Bruins’ attempts to get under their skin, and instead focusing on beating them with their speed. Lesson learned, right there.

“If you can win one there, I think it can change the whole thing”, Flames winger Michael Frolik told reporters in Calgary. We know it’s going to be really, really hard. However, Anaheim’s defensive stinginess and a potent top-9 will spell trouble for the Flames. Jonathan Bernier will draw into a game one way or another. That said, home ice could mean everything in the Calgary-Anaheim Western Conference Quarterfinals series that begins Thursday.

But with 18 goals and 43 assists in 72 regular-season games, and the majority of them coming during Calgary’s stellar second half of the year, he hopes to keep the momentum rolling into playoffs. “Especially the playoffs”, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. For example, only eight Presidents’ Trophy winners have won a Stanley Cup, and they have home ice throughout.

Among playoff teams, only the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks allowed fewer shots on goal this season. You really just have to go through it to get better at it. “That’s the unsafe part for us”.

On the fancies, the Ducks and Flames were offensively very similar in terms of creating goals, with the Ducks being better at 5-on-5 and the Flames having a better power play.

Everyone’s favourite villain, of course.

It was in the spring of 1988 that the then-New Jersey Devils coach – in a spastic postgame spectacle more befitting one of Tasmania’s devils – called referee Don Koharski a “fat pig” before twice urging him to “have another doughnut!” It’s those experiences that help you – and the little mental exercises you go through to get ready.

Calgary finished with the 10th-best power play in the National Hockey League (20.2 per cent). As such, the Ducks have a huge advantage in the faceoff circle, since they’re the NHL’s best team on dots. It was in a game against the Flames.

Hey, the streak has to end sometime right? While Gibson has only six career playoff starts to Elliott’s 37, both have performed similarly in their postseason careers.

One sour note for Anaheim was the loss of forward Patrick Eaves, who left the game because of an undisclosed injury. “He still won’t be involved tomorrow”, said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. We need to see some more from Johnny Hockey.

Then, when the sides finally reached a new agreement, there was the pressure of a brand-new six-year deal worth $6.75-million per season weighing on the 23-year-old’s shoulders. The Ducks haven’t lost in regulation in the past 14 games …

We noted above how unbeatable the Flames were when leading after two periods; the Ducks were just 2-19-7 when trailing after two. We’ve always had great games with them and it’s a good rivalry…

Ducks: D Cam Fowler (knee), D Simon Despres (head/concussion), D Clayton Stoner (abdominal surgery).