Recap: Home Winning Streak Comes to an End in 2-1 Loss to Flames

ANAHEIM -- Sometimes, the bounces just don't go your way. Tonight, in a frantic attempt to tie the game in the third period, the Ducks hit the post multiple times, but came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames at Honda Center. The loss snapped Anaheim's four-game home winning streak and dropped its record to 6-3-0 overall. Derek Grant and Nicolas Deslauriers came within inches of tying the game midway through the third, but both hit the iron. Max Comtois was denied twice on the doorstep in crunch time and Nick Ritchie was thwarted in the slot by Flames goaltender Cam Talbot, who made 29 saves to improve Calgary's record to 5-4-1.

It marked just the 10th regulation loss the Ducks have suffered at home during the regular season in franchise history against the Flames. The Ducks came in with a 39-9-6 mark at Honda Center all-time against Calgary, and a 13-5-0 record overall dating to Nov. 24, 2015.
"We certainly had our chances," said Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler. "One of those games where you felt like it could've gone either way. A couple of the mistakes that we had ended up in the back of our net and their goaltender made some huge saves at the end there, and that's the difference in the hockey game. Our chances were there, no doubt."
John Gibson did everything he could at the other end, allowing two goals on 29 shots. Despite the loss, the Ducks have allowed just 16 goals through their first nine games of the season. "It's to the point, why would we expect any less?" head coach Dallas Eakins said on Gibson's performance tonight. "That's a regular occurrence for him. That's the expectation he has on himself and it's always great when a young man like that has those expectations."
After a scoreless opening frame, the Ducks came out with exactly the kind of second period they wanted. Finishing an impressive rush up the ice on the opening shift, Jakob Silfverberg hammered a shot past Talbot just 12 seconds into the middle stanza. It marked Silfverberg's second goal in as many games, and gave him five points (3g/2a) in his past three.

The lead would stand until the Flames answered at the 15:32 mark of the second period when Michael Stone one-timed a slap shot from the point past a screened Gibson for his first goal of the season.
Calgary took the lead with 11:03 remaining in regulation when Mikael Backlund converted on a 2-on-1 rush.
The Ducks certainly had their chances to tie the game in the minutes that followed. They had a power play (their third of the game) with under 10 minutes left on the clock, but came up empty. They pulled Gibson for an extra attacker with roughly 90 seconds left in the game, but couldn't get one past Talbot.
"We made a mistake in the second period, or in the third period, that got us behind," said Eakins. "But again, I liked our resiliency. I thought we had numerous chances to not only tie it, but go ahead by a couple and we just couldn't get it in the net."
Upcoming for the Ducks is a four-game road trip that begins Tuesday in Nashville, and continues with games against Dallas on Thursday, Colorado on Saturday and Vegas on Sunday.