Flames 7, Canucks 4
CALGARY, Alberta -- Calgary Flames center Matt Stajan certainly made the first Stanley Cup playoff goal of his 12-year career count.
Stajan notched the winner at 15:43 of the third period as the Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-4, capping a furious comeback and eliminating their Canadian rivals 4-2 in the Western Conference playoff series.
The Flames will now face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the playoffs.
After erasing a 3-0 first-period deficit, the Flames were down 4-3 when right winger Jiri Hudler tied it up in the third.
That set up a wild finish. The Flames peppered Canucks goalie Ryan Miller before Stajan found a loose puck and fired home the winner.
Hudler scored twice, including one into an empty net, while right winger Michael Ferland, left winger Johnny Gaudreau and center Sean Monahan also scored for the Flames.
Right wingers Jannik Hansen and Radim Vrbata, center Brandon McMillan and defenseman Luca Sbisa scored for the Canucks.
Ferland scored an empty-net goal at 19:58, putting icing on the the Flames' cake.
The Flames tied the game 4-4 after a questionable penalty call on McMillan, who was called for goaltender interference for crashing into Flames goalie Karri Ramo along with defenseman Dennis Wideman.
On the power play, Monahan tipped a pass over Hudler by the side of the net. He corralled the puck and lifted it over the outstretched glove of Canucks goalie Ryan Miller.
Late in the second period, Sbisa gave the Canucks the lead back after letting an early edge slip away in the second period when his point shot slipped through traffic and past Ramo.
That cooled down the crowd, which came back to life in a wild second frame.
After going down 3-0 early, the Flames put on their comeback hats, just as they have done all season, having won four games down by two or more goals after one period.
With 2:58 left in the opening frame. Center Matt Stajan threaded a pass through traffic to Ferland, and the rookie banged home his first of the playoffs to bring some life back to the Saddledome.
They cut that deficit to one just 1:19 into the second period. Monahan won a faceoff in the Canucks zone, getting the puck back to Wideman for a quick shot. Hudler took a swipe at the rebound before Monahan lifted a backhand over Miller.
At the 5:35 mark, the Flames had the game tied. The Flames top line broke into the Canucks zone and Hulder sent a pass towards the goal that Gaudreau stuck his stick on to slide past Miller and make the Saddledome erupt.
While the home side came out with some jump from the opening draw, it was the visitors who got on the board first early and often. Canucks left winger Chris Higgins stepped hard into a shot from the hash marks that Flames starting goalie Jonas Hiller kicked out front, right to the stick of McMillan in the slot. He rifled a shot home and the Canucks led 1-0 just 2:36 into the opening period.
The Canucks made it 2-0 at 7:32. On a rush, Hansen weaved through the defense with Shawn Matthias setting a pick for him. Hansen went blocker side on Hiller, and Flames coach Bob Hartley gave his starter the hook in favor of Ramo, who played just one game since suffering a knee injury April 2 against the Edmonton Oilers.
Ramo didn't get a good welcome to the game. The Canucks got a power play when Flames center Sam Bennett took a high-sticking penalty, and they wasted no time capitalizing. Left-winger Daniel Sedin found Vrbata racing towards the net, and the pass was so perfect all Vrbata had to do was deflect it over Ramo.
The three goals in just 9:42 were the fastest in Canucks franchise history.
NOTES: In three previous Game 6 meetings in this rivalry, the Canucks beat the Flames all three times. In a weird coincidence, the team that won the series went on to play in the Stanley Cup Finals. ... The last time they met in a Game 6 was 2004 when Brendan Morrison ended a marathon triple-overtime night. However, the Canucks lost Game 7 back in Calgary with Martin Gelinas scoring the overtime- and series-winner. ... When the Canucks need a faceoff win in this series, they turn to captain Henrik Sedin. The veteran center has taken 35.5 percent of the team's draws, which was second in the league to only Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild. ... Heading into Saturday's action, Flames C Mikael Backlund led playoff performers with 10 takeaways while D T.J. Brodie sits second with eight. ... The Canucks announced that RW Alex Burrows is healthy enough to make the return flight home after the game. Burrows left Tuesday's morning skate with what is a reported to be a broken rib, and he's been recovering in Calgary since then. ... The Canucks made one lineup change for Game 6, inserting LW Brandon McMillan for LW Ronalds Kenins.