Canucks at Flames
The Calgary Flames attempt to put a stranglehold on their Western Conference first-round series when they host the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 on Tuesday. Calgary grabbed a 2-1 lead in the matchup Sunday as defenseman TJ Brodie scored a goal and set up another in a 4-2 victory.
The Flames - who ended a five-season playoff drought this campaign - are seeking their first series win since 2004, when they reached the Stanley Cup final before losing to Tampa Bay in seven games. Brandon Bollig, rookie Sam Bennett and Sean Monahan also tallied for Calgary in its first postseason game at home in six years. Shawn Matthias and Jannik Hansen tallied for Vancouver, which has lost its last three playoff series beginning with the 2011 Stanley Cup final against Boston. While not to the level they did in Game 2, tempers again flared late as three fights took place in the final 85 seconds of Sunday's contest, resulting in 51 combined penalty minutes - including 19 for Canucks forward Alex Burrows.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, USA, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE CANUCKS: Burrows will be in the lineup Tuesday as he avoided disciplinary action from the league for his part in the late antics of Game 3. The 34-year-old received an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of the contest, which normally warrants an automatic suspension, but the league has the right to lift the ban if several criteria for the penalty are not met - which was the case in Burrows' situation. A loss on Tuesday puts Vancouver in a 3-1 series hole, but a victory evens the matchup and regains home-ice advantage for the club - a fact not lost on Kevin Bieksa. "We'll come in and play a nice, solid road game, hopefully get the two points, and momentum will be on our side going back home," he said.
ABOUT THE FLAMES: The goals by Brodie and Monahan in Game 3 were the first of their postseason careers, but Bennett's tally was even more special - it was his first in the NHL. "It's a moment that I've thought about for a very long time," said the 18-year-old, whose goal turned out to be the game-winner. "It definitely feels great to get it out of the way. I couldn't have dreamed a better situation." The fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Bennett became the second-youngest player in team history to score a playoff goal at 18 years, 303 days - six days older than Jarome Iginla.
OVERTIME
1. The Canucks have won only two of their last 14 postseason contests.
2. Calgary recalled Joni Ortio from Adirondack on Monday after assigning the netminder to the American Hockey League club prior to the series opener.
3. Each team had 14 players register at least one shot on goal, with Burrows recording a game-high six.