The Calgary Flames finally got the result they’d been chasing all season.
After five straight losses to open the year, Calgary broke through Tuesday night with a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. It wasn’t just a relief valve moment for the Flames - it was a cleaner, sharper showing that suggested real progress in the way they played the game.
Calgary spent plenty of the night on the front foot. The Flames created steady pressure, won the shot battle and did a better job keeping Anaheim from dictating things at five-on-five. That mattered, especially after an opening period that threatened to tilt the game away from them.
Adam Klapka got Calgary going first at 8:32 of the opening frame. The Flames had the puck in the offensive zone and kept the Ducks under pressure before Klapka found space in the high slot and ripped a wrist shot past Lukas Dostal for his second goal of the season.
Anaheim answered less than two minutes later on the power play. At 14:05, Leo Carlsson took a feed from Mikael Granlund, skated into the hash marks and lifted the puck into the top corner over Wolf to make it 1-1.
That goal was Carlsson’s second of the season, and the Ducks weren’t done in the period. Calgary was forced to absorb three first-period penalties, and Anaheim used those chances to grab the lead.
Still, the Flames didn’t let the early damage linger.
They came out stronger in the second period and pressed hard. Calgary had a five-on-three power play with a chance to tie it but couldn’t cash in there.
Once Anaheim got back to even strength, the equalizer came quickly. At 8:02, Ryan Strome found Aydar Suniev in front, and the rookie forward made no mistake, one-timing the pass past Dostal to pull Calgary even at 2-2.
That goal was another sign that Suniev is making the most of his recall from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Through three games since coming up, he has two goals and an assist. He’s getting to good areas, getting his shot off quickly and giving the Flames something they’ve needed: another legitimate offensive option.
The second period also had some added edge. Midway through the frame, Klapka and Jeff Malott dropped the gloves, adding to the physical tone Calgary brought on the night.
The game stayed tied into the third, where Martin Pospisil delivered the biggest play of the night. At 15:37, he carried the puck into the zone with speed, drove wide and slipped a low shot through Dostal’s five-hole for the go-ahead goal. Suniev and Yan Kuznetsov picked up the assists on the decisive score.
Yegor Sharangovich finished it off with an empty-net goal as Calgary sealed its first win of the season and finally put an end to the winless start.
Klapka’s night stood out beyond the opening goal. He brought size, bite and a physical edge throughout, and his fight with Malott added another layer to what he was already doing on the ice. Entering the game among the league leaders in penalty minutes, he’s been giving Calgary a blend of force and offense.
The other concern from the night was the one that nearly dragged the Flames down early: penalties. Those three first-period calls disrupted Calgary’s rhythm and handed Anaheim the kind of opportunities that can swing games fast. The good news for the Flames was that they responded instead of folding under the pressure.
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Flames Finally Got The Response Fans Needed After That Start
After a season-opening skid that had Calgary looking for any kind of traction, the Flames found a response in Anaheim. They built an early lead, lost it when penalties opened the door for the Ducks, then settled back in and played with more purpose over the second and third periods. The result was a 4-2 road win that at least gave the club something to point to beyond the frustration of its first few outings.
Aydar Suniev helped turn the night around with the tying goal and a key setup on the go-ahead score, while Martin Pospisil added the late game-winner after beating the Ducks off the rush. Dustin Wolf also had to be sharp when the game was still hanging in the balance, and the Flames eventually closed it out with Yegor Sharangovich sealing it into an empty net. The penalty issues still stood out, but for one night Calgary looked more like a team willing to push through the mistakes instead of being buried by them. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Trade Buzz Is Growing But One Frustrating Reality Remains
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Zarys situation is especially notable because the Flames are not dealing with this in isolation. While other clubs are juggling injuries, extensions and possible trade targets, Calgary has a developing player who appears to be on the radar of another Pacific Division team. The question now is whether that interest becomes anything more concrete, or whether it remains another example of a player attracting attention without any easy answer for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Face A Tough Blue Line Call As Trade Buzz Builds
The Flames are still sorting through the ripple effects of an active market, and the blue line is right in the middle of it. Simon Edvinsson has come back to North America to train while working toward a deal with Detroit before the Dec. 1 deadline to make this season count, leaving one more notable name in the defensive conversation and keeping attention on how much movement could still be ahead around Calgary.
Zach Whitecloud has also been part of the chatter, with Toronto taking a look at the veteran defender as it gauges its options. For Calgary, he arrived in the Rasmus Andersson trade and has brought the profile of a Stanley Cup winner, but the early returns have been quiet so far, and that only adds another layer to a blue line picture that already feels unsettled as the deadline buzz starts to build. [Read more 🡒]