Corey Perry (left) had two goals and two assists as the Ducks rolled in Game 1. (USATSI)
Corey Perry (left) had two goals and two assists as the Ducks rolled in Game 1. (USATSI)

Every night during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eye On Hockey writers Adam Gretz and Chris Peters will bring you up to speed everything you need to know about all of the action around the NHL. Here's what you need to know about Ducks vs. Flames.

Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks, Game 1

Ducks 6, Flames 1 | Ducks lead series 1-0 | Game 2 Sunday

Game 1 in a nutshell: The Anaheim Ducks were better in just about every way as they destroyed the Flames in Game 1. Jonas Hiller got chased by his former team after giving up three goals on 14 shots over the first half of the game. The Ducks kept their foot on the gas and sent a pretty emphatic message to the Flames in their Game 1 rout.

Turning point: Pretty much when the puck dropped. The Ducks had a pretty clear plan from the outset of the game. They were going to play physical, intimidating hockey and they executed immediately. The Ducks were all over the Flames and Calgary couldn't seem to find an answer. The possession numbers were pretty even for a lot of the game, but the Ducks got big time contributions from their best players and they took the Flames out of the game pretty early.

Three things we learned

1. The Ducks want this to be a punishing series. Anaheim clearly went the route of playing an intimidating physical style that at times overwhelmed Calgary. The Flames were the aggressor in their previous series, but it looked like they met their match in Game 1. The Ducks made things very uncomfortable for a Flames club that is light on postseason experience. Game 1 was as much about getting the series lead for the Ducks as it was sending a message. They let Calgary know pretty quick that this series is going to hurt.

2. The Flames are already battling injuries in the series. Before the first period was even over, the Flames lost a pair of players for the remainder of the game. Rough and tumble forward Micheal Ferland had to leave the game after taking a couple of good licks in the game. Meanwhile, the Flames also lost top-line winger Jiri Hudler. Neither returned to the game. If Hudler is out for any amount of time, the Flames' first line takes a massive hit. The veteran forward was the team's leading scorer this season and was excellent in the first-round series against Vancouver. Also of note, Johnny Gaudreau did not take a shift in the third period, though he was on the team's bench. The good news is that there are two days between games to rest the injured. The Flames will have to hope that's enough to get key players back.

3. Calgary doesn't have an answer for the Ducks' top line. Anaheim's No. 1 forward line has size, they have skill and they have experience. It helps to have a pair of established stars like Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf occupying the top unit, but Patrick Maroon, the other winger, was effective as well. Perry scored twice, including the back-breaking third goal, and finished with four points. Maroon had the game's second goal on a terrific feed from Getzlaf, who also finished with four points. No matter who Calgary puts out there against them, it's going to be a mismatch that favors Anaheim.

Video of the game: The goal that ended up chasing Hiller was not exactly a highlight-reel marker, but it also shows that what happened in Game 1 wasn't solely on Calgary's starter. No one picks up Perry here. That's a former league MVP and one of the deadliest scorers in the league and he was allowed to walk out uncontested from behind the net and slip one past Hiller. There was a lot of bad in this game for the Flames, but this goal is right up there.