Ducks Douse Flames: Anaheim Sweeps Calgary On Road To Stanley Cup 2017

ANAHEIM, CA — The Ducks completed a four-game sweep of the Calgary Flames, cementing their spot in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Led by first-period goals from Patrick Eaves and Nate Thompson, the Ducks eliminated the Flames with a 3-1 victory in Game 4 at Scotiabank Saddledome.

It marked the fifth postseason sweep for the Ducks and the third time they have done it in the first round.

After the sweep, Anaheim and Calgary players met at center ice in the time honored tradition of playoff hockey.

In one of the best traditions in all of pro sports, the two teams met at center ice after the buzzer sounded for the time-honored postgame handshake. As the Flames left the ice, their fans gave them a well-deserved standing ovation.

"We expected it to go longer with this team," said Thompson. "They play extremely hard. It could've gone a lot of different ways. We got some fortunate bounces and our goalies made some big saves. We found a way. We'll take it."

The Ducks will return to Anaheim and await the winner of the Edmonton-San Jose series, which is currently tied, 2-2.

"We have guys that are a little banged up," said Andrew Cogliano. "We need guys to feel healthy going into the next series. This is big for us. You always want to win four straight, but it's tough to do. We're lucky in a lot of respects. We're fortunate. We'll re-group, see who wins, and be ready to go."

by Kyle Shohara @kyleshohara / AnaheimDucks.com

Credit: Derek Leung /Getty Images Sport / Getty Images