Calgary had their own fate in the palm of their hands but lost it in dramatic fashion as the Anaheim Ducks rallied late to hand the Flames a 4-3 overtime loss.

It’s a Team Game – The Flames got caught looking ahead and now may be too far behind to catch up. They had control of the 5v5 play right up until the Ducks third period counterstrike. Coronato scored to give the Flames a two-goal cushion that was immediately needed due to a defensive and goaltending collapse. The worst of the season so far. Calgary only has themselves to blame as they went 0/6 on the power play. It wasn’t just a lack of execution up a man, the entire structure of the power play continually fell apart. Multiple man advantages saw the Ducks have the best chances. Calgary still mathematically has a chance, but they no longer control their own fate. The Blues winning out prevents the Flames from catching them. While the Wild, even if they lose to the Flames, stay ahead of them if they win all their other games as well. Calgary needs help – both on the ice and off it.

Corsi King – The players that had the best attempt ratios were the Flames bottom six forwards Martin Pospisil (72.44 CF%) and his speed was given just eight minutes of 5v5 ice time. He has this connection with Kadri (39.62 per cent) using his forecheck and Nazem’s board play skills to elevate their line. Adam Klapka (54.36 per cent) deserved the promotion in the lineup I’m just not a fan of the chemistry they did break up to do so. The majority of this game was solid play from the Flames – the end of the game was the only stretch of play where they let off the gas.

Taken By Chance – Joel Farabee (69.04 SCF% || 100 HDCF%) saw a nine to nothing high danger chance ratio. His speed was on display in this one and was dialed in from the start. The same issue remains though – all the chances lead to just one goal for, that was the one from Sharangovich (68.78 per cent || 100 per cent). This coming off-season Craig Conroy has to figure out where this offensive drought is coming from – the players or the coach – and address it. Being this offensively incapable next season is unacceptable progress. If you refuse to tear things down and rebuild with high draft picks then the expectations is making the playoffs every year. The offence having this level of finishing ability for another season would wind the Flames up in the same spot or worse.

xGF% – Blake Coleman (86.00 per cent) and Mikael Backlund (82.61 per cent) being back to their old ways these last three weeks has been a treat. That’s just 5v5 – Backlund’s move in overtime definitely hurt the team’s chances and that deserves to be mentioned. He tried to make a move around a defender and lost his balance. I’m not too mad at that – I’ve been asking for someone to make drives to the net all year I’m a hypocrite if I get upset at it just because of what it led to this one time. Was it the best situation for it – probably not – but hindsight is always 20/20.

In The Crease – That was a rough way to end things and Dustin Wolf doesn’t get to shuck any blame. He certainly shouldn’t dwell on it – and I doubt he will – but that third goal was a rough one to surrender. Low danger goals against are killers, it’s one of the measures I believe a true starter has to limit. Despite their best efforts not even the legends could ever escape them, but the best ones limited how often they happen. This is maybe one of three bad goals Wolf has surrendered all year – he’ll be fine. 1.37 expected goals against with three 5v5 actual goals against.

Player Spotlight – Zayne Parekh – Look, I’m not advocating for a spot in the lineup lightly. I understand the scope of trying to shift from playing against 20-year-olds that are about to either go to college or go to work in comparison with competing against men who play the sport at the highest possible level for a job. One thing being overlooked is just how successful he was though. You can’t draw comparisons because he’s the first teenage defenceman to get 107 points in his D+1 year, ever. He’s the first teenage defenceman to have two 30 goal seasons since Bobby freakin’ Orr and that was in 1965 and 1966. The second Zayne Parekh landed on the roster I have felt he’s got the highest potential and most raw skill of anyone on that list. Is it refined? Not yet – but I’d much rather go down betting on that skill than not using it when I had the chance.