VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Defenseman Kris Russell scored with 29.6 seconds left in the third period to give the Calgary Flames a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday night in the opening game of their NHL Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series.

The winning goal came after Russell took a pass from fellow defenseman Dennis Wideman and blasted a shot through traffic that beat Canuck goaltender Eddie Lack.

Right winger David Jones also scored for the Flames who battled back from a 1-0, second-period deficit.

Center Bo Horvat scored for the Canucks.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Friday at Rogers Arena.

Lack, making his first ever playoff start, stopped 28 shots.

Calgary goalie Jonas Hiller, making his 27th playoff start, made 29 saves.

The Flames took advantage of a Canucks turnover to tie the game with Jones' goal at 7:59 of the third period. Left winger Michael Ferland picked off an attempted clearing pass by Vancouver defenseman Yannick Weber and skated into the Canucks' zone before dropping the puck back to Jones. He fired a shot over Lack's glove.

Vancouver was outshot 10-4 in the second period but took a 1-0 lead on Horvat's goal at 12:08.

The rookie made a hustle play to keep the puck in the Flames' zone. He then took a shot that was blocked, but he got hold of the rebound and flipped a backhand toward the net. The puck appeared to deflect off Wideman's skate and slip through Hiller's legs.

That set up a third period between a team that doesn't often give up the lead and one that doesn't quit when down.

During the regular season Vancouver lost just once in regulation when leading after two periods (30-1-3). The Flames battled back for wins or forced overtime 14 times when trailing after two periods and scored 99 third-period goals.

The Canucks outshot the Flames 13-10 in a scoreless first period but controlled most of the play. Vancouver's shot total would have been higher if the Flames hadn't blocked 11 Canuck shots.

NOTES: This is the seventh playoff meeting between Calgary and Vancouver, with the Flames leading 4-2. ... Canucks RW Brad Richardson returned to the lineup after missing 37 of the final 39 games with an ankle injury. ... LW Daniel Sedin and C Henrik Sedin are the only Vancouver players remaining from the Canucks team that lost the 2004 opening-round playoff series against Calgary. ... Canucks GM Jim Benning is scouting the Under-18 World Championships in Switzerland and won't return until a potential Game 5 on April 23. ... Calgary's line of C Sean Monahan, LW Johnny Gaudreau and RW Jiri Hudler scored 41 goals and 92 points in 31 games this season. ... Flames D Mark Giordano, out for the season with a torn bicep, took the morning skate. ... C Sam Bennett picked up an assist just 33 seconds into his first NHL game when the Flames beat Winnipeg in the final regular-season game.