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The Flames’ best goals of 2024-25: Adam Klapka pulls off a nasty fake to score backhand goal against Ducks
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jul 21, 2025, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 20, 2025, 17:28 EDT
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Sometimes, even bottom-six players score some nasty goals.
Entering Jan. 30’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, the Calgary Flames sat just one point back of the Vancouver Canucks for the final wild card. The Flames had been playing some okay hockey over their last 10, going 6-4-0, but were on a two-game losing streak thanks to losses to the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, the first and second best teams of the 2024-25 regular season.
Heading into the matchup with the Ducks, 6’8” forward Adam Klapka had played just seven National Hockey League games, where he had been held pointless. Down 1-0 at the start of the second period, the Flames elected to start their third line of Klapka, Martin Pospíšil, and Yegor Sharangovich. It led to the fourth-best Flames’ goal of the season.
The puck cleared the Ducks’ zone, and Sharangovich attempted to get it in deep again, only it took a bounce off a Ducks player. That bounce was a fortunate one, as the bouncing puck was picked up by Pospíšil in the slot. Instead of trying to split the defender, Pospíšil dropped it back to Klapka, who had more speed.
Klapka went wide on the Ducks defender, but made a strong move to the inside for the high-scoring danger opportunity. Ducks’ netminder John Gibson bit hard on the wrap-around fake, and Klapka nearly did the splits to stop. Instead of going around the net, the Czech forward made a quick move to pull the puck to his forehand, slotting it past Gibson to tie the game.
Late in the second period, Blake Coleman scored his 12th of the season to take the lead, and the Flames added two late goals in the third period to win 4-1. With an empty net goal, it looked as if Matt Coronato scored his first hat trick, but his first goal was later awarded to Coleman.
After this game, Klapka went another 10 games without scoring a point, but started to get going toward the end of the season. With a goal in the Flames’ 4-3 overtime win over the Kraken, Klapka finished the season scoring five goals and nine points in 13 games. He was one of the numerous reasons why the Flames were able to finish the season 11-2-3, nearly sneaking into a playoff spot.
The good end to his 2024-25 season was rewarded, as the then-pending restricted free agent earned a two-year deal worth $1.25 million annually. Next season, he’ll surely get a look in the Flames’ bottom six, and if he can play the way he did to end the season, a move up in the lineup isn’t out of the question.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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