CALGARY — The Calgary Flames faced off against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night, capturing a gritty 3-1 victory, largely thanks to their resilient captain, Mikael Backlund. Not only did Backlund score one of the Flames' goals, but he also set up another, cementing his status as the backbone of the team. His efforts were complemented by Jonathan Huberdeau, who tallied his team-leading sixth goal of the season, and Kevin Rooney, who sealed the game with a late empty-net goal.
The Flames’ rookie goaltender, Dustin Wolf, showcased his skills by making 29 saves, demonstrating significant progress as he narrowly missed his first NHL shutout. Wolf was just 2:31 away from achieving the feat when Trevor Moore of the Kings found the back of the net, preventing what would have been a stellar finish for the young goalie.
This victory brings the Flames' record to 8-5-3, extending their point streak to four games, with two wins and two overtime losses over this run. On the other hand, the Kings fell to 9-5-3, experiencing their second regulation loss over the last seven games.
The first period of the game had fans on edge, as Calgary has struggled with their first-period performance throughout the season. Historically, the team ranked poorly with just nine goals scored, against 18 conceded, placing them near the bottom of the league's first-period goal differential. Yet, this time, their play showed promise. They outshot the Kings 10-7 and generated multiple scoring opportunities, setting the stage for their offensive breakout, which occurred shortly after the puck dropped again for the second period.
The turning point came at 10:42 of the second period, when Backlund seized on a Kings’ defensive miscalculation behind their net. The errant pass ended up on his stick, and with quick reflexes, he whipped the puck past the Kings’ goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who was on his glove side.
Just 36 seconds later, Huberdeau doubled the Flames’ lead, pushing the score to 2-0 and shifting momentum firmly to Calgary. The Kings, known for their tenacious playing style, were now faced with the uphill challenge of overcoming this two-goal disadvantage.
While the Kings featured key players like Phillip Danault, Kevin Fiala, and Moore, who had all been on impressive point streaks prior to the game, the Flames’ defensive line managed to keep them at bay until Moore finally broke through late, igniting hopes for Los Angeles with just under three minutes left on the clock.
The last-minute scramble saw the Kings pull Kuemper for the extra skater, intensifying the pressure. Nevertheless, Kyle Rooney's empty-net goal put any thoughts of a comeback to rest.
Upcoming, the Kings are set to face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, with hopes to bounce back quickly from this defeat. The Flames will visit the Vancouver Canucks, aiming to build on their recent success and contend more seriously within the competitive National Hockey League (NHL) environment.
Calgary's victory highlighted their increasing resilience, but it also illuminated the need to continue refining some of their weaker aspects, particularly their slow starts. If they can rectify this going forward, they might just become formidable contenders as the season progresses. Fans can only look forward to what lies next for this team as they strive for greater consistency and performance on the ice.
