The Calgary Flames played a pretty good game on Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks. They had a superb first period and a couple good periods after that. It just was not enough to get two points.

Beckett Sennecke scored a hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime, in a 4-3 Ducks win over the Flames.

The Flames played quite well in the first period, skating well, moving the puck well, and generating a lot.

6:17 into the opening period, the Flames opened the scoring. Mikael Backlund made a nice play, driving the net. The rebound wasn’t controlled by anybody, though, and amidst the chaos, Jonathan Huberdeau jammed at the puck and it deflected into the Anaheim net off Jackson LaCombe’s skate to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.

The Flames made it 2-0 a couple minutes later. Justin Kirkland won an offensive zone draw and the puck was cycled back to Hunter Brzustewicz. Brzustewicz looked like he was trying to throw the puck to Joel Farabee for a back-door play… but the puck ricocheted off LaCombe’s stick and wobbled past Lukas Dostal to make it 2-0.

First period shots were 17-3 Flames. Via Natural Stat Trick, 5v5 scoring chances were 14-8 Flames and high-danger scoring chances were 7-6 Flames.

The Ducks cut into the Flames’ lead 3:22 into the second period off a nice bit of passing. Mikael Granlund deked around Nazem Kadri and threw a pass out front to Alex Killorn. Killorn deftly fed the puck over to Beckett Sennecke and he fired it past Dustin Wolf to make it a 2-1 hockey game.

The Ducks tied it up a little while later. Morgan Frost’s line had an offensive rush that was broken up at the Ducks blueline, and play headed the other way. The Flames had defenders back, but they were frozen by some nice Ducks passing, allowing Sennecke to fire another puck past Wolf to tie the game at 2-2.

The Ducks had a goal disallowed later in the second period, after Killorn whacked a puck out of the air with a high stick and it deflected off Sennecke into the Flames net.

Second period shots were 10-8 Flames. 5v5 scoring chances were 12-7 Ducks and high-danger scoring chances were 4-1 Ducks.

The Flames retook the lead on a third period power play. Matt Coronato received a slick pass from Matvei Gridin, standing at the side of the net to Dostal’s right. Coronato settled the puck and roofed it past Dostal to give Calgary a 3-2 lead.

But as the minutes wound down, the Ducks tied things up. A turnover up ice left Brzustewicz defending an odd-man rush, and Chris Kreider fired a pass from Ryan Poehling past Wolf to tie the game at 3-3.

Third period shots were 8-6 Flames.

Overtime went back and forth, with Coronato have a couple cracks at getting the game-winner. But play went the other way, and Sennecke beat Wolf off the rush to give the Ducks a 4-3 victory.

Man, the Flames were fantastic in the first period (and the Ducks were slow). But much Friday night’s game with Washington, the Flames got a little worse after the first 20 minutes and the opponents seemed to wake up. The Flames were great in the first 20 minutes and they were perfectly fine for the last 40 minutes. They were just leaky enough defensively to let this game get to overtime.

Mikael Backlund had an assist, won two-thirds of his face-offs, and was generally quite good throughout this game.

Depending on your rooting interests, seeing the Flames give up a one goal lead in the waning minutes of the third period had to hurt. (Or not, again, depending on your rooting interests.)

The Flames rolled out new lines for this game. (Yes, again):

It was announced during this game that the practice rink at Scotia Place will be sponsored by Esso and be named Esso Community Arena.

Brzustewicz’s first career goal was the fourth such goal for a Flames player this season, following Matvei Gridin (Oct. 8 at Edmonton), Sam Honzek (Oct. 28 at Toronto) and Yan Kuznetsov (Nov. 28 at Tampa Bay).

Join Mike and Jordan from the In The Dome podcast right after the game for After Burner!

The Flames (21-25-6) are headed on the road. They’ll face the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

This article is a Presentation of Platinum Mitsubishi, family owned and operated by lifelong Calgarians. Home of the best warranty in the business with ten year warranties available. Check out the showroom at 2720 Barlow Trail NE or online at www.mitsu.ca