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Instant Reaction: Flames run out of gas in the Motor City
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Photo credit: Tim Fuller-Imagn Images
Ryan Pike
Mar 16, 2026, 21:38 EDT
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Welcome to Instant Reaction, where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Calgary Flames game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below! 
The Calgary Flames had a good first period in Detroit when they faced the Red Wings. Their second period had some big lapses at bad times. And they just couldn’t muster enough energy in the third period to claw their way back into the game.
The Flames closed out their five game eastern road trip with a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings.

The rundown

The opening frame was pretty even, with the Flames having a good amount of jump
17:35 into the first period, they opened the scoring. Matt Coronato sent Matvei Gridin and Morgan Frost into the offensive zone with some speed. Gridin made a nice move on defender Justin Faulk to gain position, the threw a pass across the slot to Morgan Frost for a redirect past John Gibson to go up 1-0.
First period shots were 11-8 Red Wings.
The Red Wings were quite good throughout the second period, taking advantage of a bunch of Flames lapses.
The Flames nearly iced the puck early in the period, but they managed to race up ice and beat out the icing to keep the play going. Unfortunately, both Olli Maatta and Hunter Brzustewicz got caught up ice in the neutral zone, and Alex Debrincat sprang Patrick Kane in on a breakaway with a crisp pass. Kane beat Dustin Wolf on the breakaway to tie the game at 1-1.
The Flames got a power play a little later in the frame. They did not score. After the penalty ended, the Red Wings got an offensive zone rush, which ended when Emmitt Finnie made a back-door redirect to finish a slick passing sequence. That made it 2-1 Detroit.
A little later, the Red Wings had another rush sequence, which ended with a pass from Debrincat to Kane, and Kane redirecting the puck past Wolf to go up 3-1.
The Flames responded off a rush sequence, though. Coronato and Gridin went in on an odd-man rush. Coronato tried to pass to Gridin, but the puck bonked off Moritz Seider’s skate and past Gibson to cut Detroit’s lead to 3-2.
But a bit later, Detroit got that one back on the power play. Seider’s point shot with some bodies between him and Wolf found a lane, and gave Detroit a 4-2 lead.
Second period shots were 12-10 Red Wings.
The third period was fairly even. The Flames pressed, but Detroit defended well and managed the game effectively.
The Flames pulled Wolf for the extra attacker late in the period. Dominik Shine scored on the empty net to give the Red Wings a 5-2 win.
Third period shots were 7-5 Red Wings.

Why the Flames lost

Give the Red Wings credit: they made some impressive puck plays at key times to score goals. But also give the Flames some blame: on the Detroit goals, the Flames also made some odd choices with their coverage that allowed passing lanes to be available to Detroit. The Flames left the door ajar, and Detroit was completely capable of kicking it open.

Red Warrior

Matt Coronato scored his first goal in 15 games and he was also really noticeable throughout this one.

Turning point

Moritz Seider’s power play goal midway through the second period was a tough goal for an offensively-starved Flames squad to give up when they did.

This and that

Dustin Wolf started in net.
Michigan product Hunter Brzustewicz returned to the lineup after sitting out last game, and had a lot of family in attendance. Zayne Parekh’s former Saginaw Spirit teammates bused down to attend the game as well.
After Dominik Shine smashed Hunter Brzustewicz into the glass with a stiff hit in the first period, both Ryan Lomberg and Martin Pospisil challenged Shine to a fight. Shine ended up fighting Pospisil.

After Burner

Join Mike Gould and Robert Munnich right after the game for After Burner!

Up next

The Flames (26-34-7) return home. They host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday evening at the Saddledome.

PRESENTED BY STAKE

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