COULDN'T CASH

It was one of those nights where the shot clock told the story.
Except, that is, the ending.
The Flames fired 42 pucks at Kings goalie Jack Campbell, but despite the increasing pressure and rapidly rising waters in the visiting end of the rink, the dam held.
Derek Forbort's goal just 57 seconds into the game stood as the winner as the Kings went on to defeat the Flames 3-0 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Mike Smith made his third straight start for the homeside, stopping 17 of 19 in a losing effort.

While the Flames piled up the shots, many were from the outside, giving Campbell an easier night than he could have had.
It was the talking point in the dressing room afterwards, with the players feeling there was more they could done with their lopsided zone time.

"We just didn't get to their net," captain Mark Giordano said. "It was one of those nights.
"We knew they were going to come in and play a really structured game defensively, and that's what they did. They really pack it in and it was hard to get inside them. We had a lot of shots, but we didn't have enough second and third opportunities. They did a good job sealing off and boxing out in front of the net."
The Flames finished with more than 70% (63-25) of the even-strength shot attempts, 64% (25-14) of the scoring chances, and a commanding 72% (8-3) of the high-danger opportunities.
And yet, they couldn't help but lament 'what could have been.'
"They didn't give us much," offered Matthew Tkachuk, who got in a spirited shoving match with LA defenceman Drew Doughty early in the third period. "A lot of shots, but not a ton of great chances.
"I think that really buckled down in front of Campbell."
>> RELATED: SAY WHAT - PILING UP THE SHOTS>> RELATED: PHOTO GALLERY>> RELATED: INFOGRAPHIC
The visitors drew first blood in the opening minute of the game, as Forbort sailed a long shot from the left point through a crowd, beating Smith on the glove side after his eyes were taken away by the 6-foot-3 Jeff Carter in front.
With under three to play - after trading barbs and having his twig chopped down during a physical board battle - former King Oscar Fantenberg dropped the mitts with Tyler Toffoli. Fantenberg landed a few late shots and earned the decision over his prior mate.
Before the period was out, back-to-back penalties by Garnet Hathaway and James Neal put the Kings on an extended 5-on-3 that carried over into the second. But the fresh ice did the visitors no favours and the 1:41-long 5-on-3 passed without the penalty killers breaking a sweat.
The Flames came oh-so close to levelling the score soon after, but after the rebound from a Travis Hamonic point shot sat precariously on the near post, giving the eagle-eyed Matthew Tkachuk a chance at the nudge-in, defensive ace Anze Kopitar tied up the stick of the Flames' alternate captain and swept the puck to safety, despite the goal light going off in the background.
Kopitar then turned it back on offence and the recipient of an excellent saucer feed Alex Iafallo on a 2-on-1 late in the period, but Smith came up a massive body save to preserve the slim deficit.

"I thought we chased the game a little bit so we opened and gave them some odd-man rushes cause we're pressing, looking for some offence," said head coach Bill Peters.
"They're a good team. They've won three straight. Their centres - they primarily use two guys - did a good job on the real important face-offs in the game and we chased it a little bit because of that."
The Flames - who were outshooting the Kings by 31-14 at the time - had another excellent chance late when Noah Hanifin took a pass between the hots and let a quick shot fly, but sizzling wrister caromed off the outside of the post, keeping the Kings in front after 40.

During a Flames powerplay chance early in the third, Adrian Kempe took it back on a short-handed break, but Smith - as he had done all night - kept his team in it with a colossal right-pad save off the winger's forehand deke.
The powerplay was a sore spot for the Flames, who went 0-for-4 with the man-advantage on the night.
"We had a bunch of power play opportunities and didn't generate much," said Sean Monahan. "When that happens, it's a little (deflating).
"At the end of the day, we've got to play harder, get to the net more, get to the crease to score the dirty ones and we didn't do that."
Jonny Brodzinski put the Kings up by two at 11:51 of the third, keeping on a 2-on-1 and firing a shot over Smith's left shoulder, and Toffoli put this one away with an empty-net marker at 16:57 after making a steal at centre ice.
"You've got to be harder," Monahan said. "It's not an easy league to score and we need to do a better job of getting in front of the goalie's eyes.
"When you do that in this league, that's when you get rewarded."