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Calgary Flames Post-Game: Special teams powers Flames to win over Kings
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Pike
Mar 31, 2024, 00:41 EDTUpdated: Apr 11, 2024, 13:06 EDT
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The Calgary Flames returned home on Saturday night to host the Los Angeles Kings. The Flames were pretty sharp, the Kings were pretty sloppy, and the home side rode a strong performance from their power play to battle their way to a 4-2 victory over the Kings.
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The victory snaps a five game losing streak for the Flames.

The rundown

The Flames had a strong start to the game, and ended up opening scoring just shy of five minutes into the contest.
After Mikael Backlund drew a high-sticking minor penalty, the Flames’ power play went to work… and scored extremely quickly. After an offensive zone face-off win, the Flames cycled the puck and Andrei Kuzmenko found Nazem Kadri parked in front of the Kings’ net. Kadri poked the puck past David Rittich to give Calgary a 1-0 lead.
The Kings got a power play of their own shortly thereafter, with Joel Hanley heading to the box for holding. Eight seconds into the Kings’ advantage, Adrian Kempe leaned into a one-timer feed from Drew Doughty and fired it past Jacob Markstrom to make it a 1-1 hockey game.
Just past the midway mark of the first, the Flames grabbed another lead. This time, they won a puck battle inside the Kings’ blueline and took the puck to the net with a nice passing sequence. It ended with Kuzmenko finding Martin Pospisil at the far side of the net for a quick redirect that gave the Flames a 2-1 lead.
First period shots were 16-4 Flames (12-3 Flames at five-on-five) and, via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 11-6 Flames (high-dangers were 4-2 Flames).
Midway through the second period, the Flames got some insurance as their power play scored again. After Matt Coronato drew a minor, the Flames’ second unit grabbed a goal. Rasmus Andersson’s point shot was stopped by Rittich, but Blake Coleman grabbed the rebound and chipped it into the net to make it 3-1 Flames.
But the Kings responded back with another power play goal before the end of the second period. With Connor Zary in the sin bin, Andersson was hobbled by a shot block, which opened a passing lane from Kempe to Anze Kopitar for a quick redirection past Markstrom to cut the home side’s lead to 3-2.
Second period shots were 9-5 Flames (3-1 Flames at five-on-five) and five-on-five scoring chances were 5-4 Flames (high-dangers were 1-1).
The Kings pressed throughout the third period, but Markstrom made a lot of sharp saves.
The Flames added to their lead on the power play, as MacKenzie Weegar snuck down from the point after a face-off win and fired a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau past Rittich to make it 4-2 Flames.
The Kings pulled Rittich for the extra attacker and pressed late in regulation. But the Flames held on for the victory.
Third period shots were 10-9 Flames (8-7 Kings at five-on-five) and five-on-five scoring chances were 10-6 Flames (high-dangers were 3-3).

Why the Flames won

Let’s give the home side credit: they were sharp in this one. They played with pace and structure, and they jumped all over the miscues the Kings made. And, to their credit, the Kings made quite a few miscues. They were far from sharp, and the Flames seemed perfectly content to take what was given to them.
The Flames were rock-solid at five-on-five and won the special teams battle. On most evenings, that will earn your side two points.
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Red Warrior

We’re giving a joint award. Kadri was superb in this game and his line was quite effective, especially in the offensive zone. And while Markstrom was terribly busy, he was flat-out excellent in the third period. When the Flames were clinging to a one goal lead, he was a big, big difference-maker for them.

Turning point

We’re going to broadly say the Flames’ power plays. Yes, all of them. On a lot of occasions, they just haven’t been very good when up a man and it’s hurt them, actually helping disrupt any momentum built at five-on-five. Against the Kings, the PP units were really effective and made the Kings’ night miserable.

This and that

After missing Thursday’s game in St. Louis with a minor ailment, Oliver Kylington slotted back into the lineup. Nikita Okhotiuk was bumped to the sidelines as a result.
This was the South Asian Celebration game at the Saddledome. There was a lot of great merch made with an alternate logo by local artist Zoe Harveen Kaur Sihota, a ceremonial puck drop, and performers at each intermission. As usual, the Flames’ event staff did a fabulous job.
The last time the Flames scored three power play goals in a single game, it was Feb. 22, 2023 against Arizona.

Up next

The Flames (34-34-5) host the Anaheim Ducks at the ‘Dome on Tuesday night.

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