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Beyond the Boxscore: Flames able to find holes in Ducks defence, strike often in 5-3 win.
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Photo credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Flash Stevens
Apr 5, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 5, 2026, 02:30 EDT
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The Calgary Flames took advantage of some loose Anaheim Ducks defending to come out on top, 5-3.
CF% – 39.07%|| SCF% – 45.22%|| HDCF% – 50.83%|| xGF% – 46.49%
It’s a Team Game – The Flames had some players show up and really stand out, such as Morgan Frost. They also took advantage of some Ducks goaltending that was not up to the standard you want going into the playoffs – although, Husso is not their starter. Calgary had some creative plays from their youth, a never give up attitude, and a solid counter to the Ducks all night. At times the Ducks would increase their physicality – they aren’t a very small team – which in turn was matched by all the Flames as well. They truly are not going to be pushed around as we head into the final stretch of the 2026 season. Sometimes outscored, but never pushed around. 
Corsi King – When Morgan Frost (55.86 CF%) stands out, he really looks like an everyday top 6 centre. Since losing Nazem Kadri he’s been more consistent in both production and increased pace of play. He actively tries to stretch the neutral zone and is being more creative once he gets into the attacking zone, especially at trying to get into the middle of the ice for scoring opportunities. I’ve mentioned the slumps before, but if he can limit how often they occur he can be a solid building block for the future of the Flames. Mikael Backlund (34.75 per cent) won’t be able to play forever, they’ll need someone capable of leading by example for the future. 
Under Pressure –
Taken By Chance – Zach Whitecloud (38.18 SCF% // 46.59 HDCF%) had some bad luck on the last Ducks goal, ending the puck right back where it came from off a centring pass. Good on the Ducks player for still being ready and getting the shot off, but an unfortunate bounce for a guy who continues to be a real solid top 4 option for the Flames. I don’t know if he’s going to go anywhere, anytime soon. He seems to fit in right at home in Calgary playing a role suited for him. He can cover primary defensive duties and allow the younger players, like Parekh (50.43 per cent // 65.33 per cent), to focus on growing some offensive confidence without being stuck out against elite competition. He can take the hard zone starts, he does well with them. 
xG Breakdown –
xGF% – I’m glad to see Connor Zary (48.42 per cent) back taking a spin up the middle of the ice. Let’s try to win these last games, yes, but let’s also test if some things will work or not before entering into next season. Zary back in the middle is a good start, next is finding room to have Othmann come back in as well as giving Aydar Suniev multiple games to showcase how he’s grown with a full AHL season under his belt. That may mean sitting guys that play bigger minutes on the wings, like Victor Olofsson (38.69 per cent), Yegor Sharangovich (21.03 per cent), or even Blake Coleman (55.07 per cent). Gather as much knowledge about those younger players as you can before entering next season, it’s the intelligent thing to do. 
Game Flow –
Shot Heatmap –
In The Crease – The Cool Man, Devin Cooley, was back being his great self. Stopping a plethora of turnovers to keep things close. The Flames kept sending the puck up the middle of the ice, trying to escape their own zone, and the Ducks would either pick it off or Calgary would get a breakaway. High risk/high reward hockey that has way more entertainment value then the 5-man-unit slop we saw to start the season. Odd-man rushes create more goals, and you get those by taking some liberties with your defensive coverage. With guys like Cooley to cover you, this strategy can really work. 
The Goals –
Flash’s 3 Stars –
1) Morgan Frost
2) Matvei Gridin
3) Ryan Strome
(Stats compiled from Naturalstattrick.com // Game Score from Hockeystatcards.com // xG and Under Pressure charts from HockeyViz.com // Game Flow and Shot Heatmap from NaturalStatTrick.com)

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