The Calgary Flames lost 5-4 to the Dallas Stars in overtime on Sunday afternoon. The loss evened up their first round playoff series at 2-2 and set the stage for what should be a tense and energetic final few games.

Here’s what was discussed post-game.

Thanks to a shorthanded goal from Tobias Rieder, the Flames were primed to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over Dallas. Dallas scored a goal, but had it washed out by a goaltender interference challenge. But alas, the Flames couldn’t hold on. Dallas scored with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game.

A broken stick by Rieder crushed the Flames’ best overtime chance. A broken stick by TJ Brodie led directly to the game-winning goal from the Stars.

“We broke a stick in the D-zone and our forward gave it to the D,” said Sam Bennett. “We were down a stick and it was a good shot from the point. Traffic in front. Not much Talbs could do.”

Because of a few bad breaks, the Flames are now in a de facto best-of-three against the Stars.

The game-winning goal for Dallas came on their 62nd shot on goal – despite allowing five goals, Cam Talbot made 57 saves (in the loss). As has become a pattern lately, Dallas had more shots and shot attempts.

For the third consecutive game, Dallas had more scoring chances and high-danger chances.

“They’ve had some good chances,” said Flames interim coach Geoff Ward. “I’m just concerned with what we’re giving up inside — I don’t care if we give up 100 shots from the outside of the ice, it doesn’t matter to me. Prognosticators can make what they want of it, but I’m just worried about what we’re giving up inside in terms of scoring chances and, you know, the grade of scoring chance that they are.”

Through four games, the Flames have been out-shot 115-159, out-chanced 48-92 and out-high-dangered 21-37. Zero Flames have positive scoring chance or high-danger chance differentials.

The Flames spent much of the third period on their heels. One of the big reasons? They spent much of the period killing penalties, which sapped their ability to create momentum of their own.

“That’s probably the one thing that we need to take a serious look at, is that our discipline needs to be better,” said Ward. “I looked at all the calls, they were calls. I’ve got no issue with what the referees were calling. Fact is we can’t be putting ourselves shorthanded that many times.”

The Flames were shorthanded seven times. While they allowed two goals (and scored a shortie), Dallas generated 13 shots on those advantages and got a lot of good looks and momentum (and kept the Flames on their back foot for much of those kills).

This was the Flames’ fifth consecutive playoff overtime loss, dating back to Game 4 of their second round loss in 2015 to Anaheim. Since the 2006 lockout, they’ve only won twice in playoff overtimes.