- The Flames fell to 0-5-0, the first time in franchise history they have opened a season with five straight losses
- Ryan Poehling’s short-handed goal broke a 2-2 tie in Anaheim’s 4-2 win
- Read below for how Calgary got here and what’s next
The Flames are 0-5-0, and they are the only team in the NHL without a point.
Calgary lost 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It is the first time in franchise history the Flames have opened a season with five straight losses, and the game itself was closer than the record suggests.
The numbers across the five games are ugly. Calgary has been outscored 27-8, a rough way to open what is the Saddledome’s farewell season. Here is our tweet on the start:
Anaheim scored on its first power play when Jackson LaCombe put a rebound over Dustin Wolf at 10:02 of the first. Morgan Frost tied it at 15:03 with a quick finish in tight. Check out the goal:
Frank Vatrano restored the lead with 45 seconds left in the period, then Aydar Suniev tied it 2-2 late in the second for his first NHL goal in his ninth game. Matt Coronato had assists on both Calgary goals, his first multi-point night of the season after leading the Flames in scoring last year.
The third period is where it got away. The Flames went 0-for-3 on the power play, and a Calgary turnover turned into Poehling’s short-handed goal at 5:35. Nikita Nesterenko added an insurance goal in a goal-mouth scramble at 17:03.
Poehling paid for it. He lost his footing when defenseman Zayne Parekh slid into him and slammed his knee into the post, then needed help off the ice. Watch it here:
The Ducks are 4-1-0 and have won their first three road games for the first time, but they may be without Cutter Gauthier. He played five shifts before leaving with an upper-body injury.
Wolf stopped 24 shots in the loss. Calgary was never expected to be good. We had the Flames projected 30th before the season, and Frost is one of the names drawing trade interest.
The two teams meet again Tuesday night in Anaheim, with the Flames still searching for their first point.
