CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — In a thrilling encounter on Tuesday night, Morgan Frost broke free from a 25-game goalless drought, scoring in regulation and then netting the decisive goal in the shootout, propelling the Calgary Flames to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The Flames, despite this spirited performance, were officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the evening when both the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues secured wins.
Calgary's Nazem Kadri, who achieved a career-high with his 33rd goal, along with Mikael Backlund and Adam Klapka, also found the back of the net in what was a rollercoaster of a game. The Flames extended their point streak to seven games, showcasing resilience even after their postseason hopes were dashed for the third consecutive year.
Rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf was a standout for Calgary, making 38 saves in regulation and overtime, marking his eighth consecutive start. His performance helped the Flames improve their record to 40-27-14, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in the playoff race.
On the other side of the ice, the Golden Knights, who clinched the Pacific Division, were led by Brandon Saad, who contributed a goal and two assists. Saad's performance marked his first multi-point game since March 20, having struggled with just one assist in his previous twelve games. Pavel Dorofeyev, Nicolas Roy, and Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas, which now boasts a 49-22-10 record.
The Golden Knights have been on a roll, going 10-2-2 in their last 14 games, and are heading to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. They will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round, a team that clinched the first wild-card spot in the West with a 3-2 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks.
As the game unfolded, the Flames faced the tough reality of their playoff elimination but didn’t let it deter them. Kadri ignited a comeback just 32 seconds into the third period, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Backlund quickly followed, tying the game just a minute later. This resilience highlighted Calgary's fighting spirit, even in the face of adversity.
Despite the loss, the Flames achieved a remarkable statistic, improving to a perfect 16-0-0 when scoring four or more goals in a game. This feat underscores their offensive capabilities, even if their defensive lapses have cost them in crucial moments throughout the season.
For the Golden Knights, the decision by head coach Bruce Cassidy to rest several key veterans, including Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Alex Pietrangelo, paid off as they maintained their competitive edge. Ilya Samsonov, starting for Vegas after an upper-body injury sidelined him since March 23, made 24 saves but ultimately fell to 16-9-4.
Looking ahead, the Golden Knights will conclude their regular season against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, while the Flames will wrap up their campaign on the road against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
As the Flames reflect on another missed playoff opportunity, they will be looking to build on the momentum from this victory as they head into the offseason. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are poised to make a deep playoff run, riding high on their recent form and the contributions of players like Saad, who seem to be hitting their stride at just the right moment.
With the playoffs approaching, the intensity of the competition is only set to increase, and both teams will have their sights set on different goals as they move forward into the next chapter of their seasons.
