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Instant Reaction: Flames smother Lightning in overtime
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Ryan Pike
Mar 22, 2026, 22:41 EDTUpdated: Mar 22, 2026, 23:04 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 welcomed the Tampa Bay Lightning to town on Sunday evening, with the visitors flying into Calgary in the wee hours of the morning after a win in Edmonton. The Flames allowed the opening goal, but otherwise were full marks in the outing.
The Flames needed extra time, but they beat the Lightning 4-3 in overtime.

The rundown

The Lightning opened the scoring 7:25 into the first period. Tampa Bay had a bunch of chances in rapid succession, ending with Ryan McDonagh firing a point shot that glanced off Zayne Parekh at the edge of the crease and into the Flames’ net. That gave the visitors a 1-0 edge.
But the Flames answered back a few minutes later. The Flames won a face-off in the offensive zone and cycled the puck around. Yegor Sharangovich found Victor Olofsson in the slot, and Olofsson blasted a shot past Jonas Johansson’s glove to tie the game at 1-1.
A little later, Matt Coronato made a nice pass off the rush, finding Morgan Frost near the slot. Frost’s quick wrister beat Johansson glove-side to give the Flames a 2-1 lead.
First period shots were 11-10 Flames.
Midway through the second period, the Flames added to their lead. Blake Coleman found Mikael Backlund all alone off a zone entry, and Backlund took advantage of all the open space to rip a slap shot past Johansson to give the Flames a 3-1 lead.
A little later, though, the Lightning got back within one. Once again, the Flames got caught in their own end and Tampa Bay got a bunch of chances. That sequence ended with Taylor Raddysh blasting a shot from the high slot past Cooley to cut Calgary’s lead to 3-2.
Coleman chipped a puck past Johansson off the rush late in the second period, but it was called back after a Tampa coach’s challenge for being off-side.
Second period shots were 15-11 Lightning.
Late in the third period, Tampa Bay tied things up. The Flames couldn’t hold onto a loose puck in their own end. Yanni Gourde grabbed the loose puck and chucked a pass into the net-front area, where Pontus Holmberg chipped the puck past Cooley to tie the game at 3-3.
Third period shots were 10-6 Lightning.
26 seconds into overtime, Ryan Strome scored off a nifty set-up from Matvei Gridin to give the Flames a 4-3 win.

Why the Flames won

The Flames weren’t flashy, but they were rock-solid. They played well in all three zones, executed some nice offensive plays, and were neck-and-neck with a good Tampa team. They buried the chances they had to in order to get the extra point.

Red Warrior

Let’s go with Devin Cooley, once again, who made 32 saves and was rock-solid throughout this game.

Turning point

The game-winner by Ryan Strome.

This and that

Devin Cooley started in net. With Connor Zary injured (off the hit on Friday from A.J. Greer), Tyson Gross made his NHL debut.

After Burner

Join Cami Kepke and Robert Munnich right after the game for After Burner!

Up next

The Flames (29-34-7) return to action on Tuesday evening when they host the Los Angeles Kings.

PRESENTED BY STAKE

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