We've said time and time again that the Calgary Flames (50-34-4-3) are the most dangerous team in the NHL when they are behind in the third period. They proved that in Game 3, coming back from the dead to salvage their season, and now, they can knot up their series with the Anaheim Ducks (57-24-3-5) on Friday night with another win at home.
ODDS ANALYSIS
It was really tough for anyone to get in front of the Ducks after they won their first six games of the postseason, but Calgary did just that as a +127 underdog. We expect to see a very similar betting line on Friday night for Game 4, knowing that the normal factors which would change the line, a team's desperation and its moment from its last game more or less balance out with one another.
GOALIE REPORT
It was an ugly game for the goalies in Game 3. Frederik Andersen had the worst game of his postseason, knowing that he stopped just 17-of-21 shots, including allowing both the last goal of regulation with 20 seconds to play and the goal in overtime on the first shot he faced.
Karri Ramo deserves some credit for the fact that he got the win in overtime, but he still only made 18 saves on 21 shots as well.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We're still fighting an uphill battle. The way we've been playing at home, the way we have the support of our fans right now, we're feeling confident we can take care of business here and go try to figure things out in Anaheim. It'll be a hungry hockey team here in a couple days." – Calgary center Joe Colborne on the status of his Flames going into Game 3
SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Ducks were incredibly patient over the course of the whole playoffs before Game 3 of this series. Playing on the road seemed to really make them do some silly things. The stats say they allowed just one power play goal and took seven penalties, but not only was Johnny Gaudreau's game-tying goal scored on the man advantage thanks to Sami Vatanen's delay of game penalty at 18:28 of the third, but Mikael Backlund's winner came on a delayed penalty with six attackers on the ice.
Anaheim has to be a heck of a lot better than to take penalties like that. Calgary's special teams aren't fantastic, but in Game 3, the kill and the power play were both truly amazing.
PROP TALK
Anaheim might have lost Game 3, but the signs are still there for it to get on a roll in Game 4 as well. Corey Perry scored yet another goal, albeit this one off of his skate instead of his stick, but that now gives him six goals and eight assists in the 14 games. He's literally impossible to bet against at the moment.
ANALYSIS & PREDICTION
The Flames got their game in this series, but we think they’re done from here. They weren't the better team for large parts of Game 3, and though they deserve all the credit in the world for coming back in the closing seconds to force overtime and then winning it when they got there, they are still facing a real battle from here.
Expect to see Anaheim silence the Calgary crowd early in Game 4 and put this series effectively to rest once and for all.
Anaheim 4, Calgary 1
The NHL odds for this Friday contest will be released first by BookMaker. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time odds and player props during the game. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The matchup between the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames will start at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 8, 2015 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Game 4 of this series will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
