Shot Down in Flames

If you watched Game 7 between Calgary and Anaheim, you probably didn't see what you expected...great if you're a Ducks fan, but not so much if you cheer for the Flames. Anaheim played an amazing series, and were even tougher and grittier than Calgary was; Jarome Iginla tried to wake his team up by fighting Francois Beauchemin, but Beauchemin was pretty much the clear winner of that bout.

Why did Calgary lose? Well, it was a combination of things. Their defence that was so, so good during the regular season just wasn't that great in the seventh game, and at times they looked a little bit lost. They also had trouble with their outlet passing - which isn't to say that anyone on the team could complete a pass, because their puck control and movement was brutal. But to give the Ducks credit, they forechecked hard, and stayed with their men on defence; Anaheim was all over the ice, breaking up passes and winning puck races while Calgary's players seemed to be skating with the weight of the title "Favourite" heavy on their shoulders. Simply put, Anaheim played a solid game, while the Flames, as they say, "crapped the bed."

If there's any consolation for their fans, it's that none of the top four seeds in the West made it to the second round...and then, straight to the mantra of Leafs fans: "There's always next year."