Battled 'Til The End

They fought until the bitter end.

But the Flames chase for the Stanley Cup Playoffs drew to a close during Tuesday's 5-4 shootout win over the Golden Knights.

Morgan Frost scored Calgary's first goal, then added the decider in the shootout, while Nazem Kadri, Mikael Backlund and Adam Klapka also lit the lamp as the Flames closed out their 2024-25 home schedule.

Kadri set a new career best with his 33rd tally of the season, while Matt Coronato chipped in with a pair of assists.

Vegas jumped out to a 3-1 first-period lead on goals from Brandon Saad, Nicolas Roy and Tomas Hertl.

Saad opened the scoring 5:25 into the frame, re-directing a Pavel Dorofeyev pass, before Roy snapped a shot over Dustin Wolf’s left shoulder on a breakaway at 14:52.

Hertl’s goal came with just 24 ticks left on the clock, Saad circling behind the goal before popping the puck onto the ex-Shark’s stick in the low slot.

The Flames first-period offence came on a powerplay just past the midway mark of the period. Off a won face-off, the puck came back to defenceman MacKenzie Weegar, who walked from left to right across the stripe before setting up Frost for a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle that slipped through goaltender Ilya Samsonov’s legs.

The locals were unlucky not to extract more offence from the opening 20 minutes. On one sequence at about the four-minute mark, the Flames hit two posts in the span of about 20 seconds, Yegor Sharangovich clanking one off the left pipe before Weegar struck the right post after his point shot eluded Samsonov's left pad.

The score stayed static through period two. Wolf turned aside 13 shots in the frame, his best coming with his glove hand, snagging a Dorofeyev slapper with style.

But that's about when heartbreak befell the Flames, in the form of the out-of-town scoreboard, as both the Wild and Blues won their contests, mathematically eliminating Calgary from playoff contention.

But despite the disappointment, the locals did not quit, tying the game at 3-3 inside the first 65 seconds of the third period.

Kadri eclipsed his previous career-best in goals on a powerplay at the 32-second mark, snapping a puck short-side on Samsonov after accepting a hard, cross-ice pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.

Backlund tied the game 32 seconds later, firing a low shot past Samsonov from the high slot after spinning his way free from a Golden Knights defender.

The offence continued at 11:01. Klapka drove the net hard, got behind two Vegas defenders and jammed home a hard centring pass from Brayden Pachal for his second goal in as many games, giving the Flames a 4-3 advantage.

But that lead lasted only 11 seconds, Saad tying the contest at 4-4 with his second goal of the game.

That goal forced overtime, but it didn't produce a victor.

Wolf made his best save of the night late in the extra frame, sliding across his crease to flash the leather on a hot shot from Victor Olofsson.

He made 38 stops over the 65 minutes of play.

In the shootout, Frost worked his magic, skating down the left wing before stopping short, picking his shot, and snapping the puck past Samsonov for the lone goal of the penalty-shot competition.

The Lineup:

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau - Nazem Kadri - Adam Klapka

Yegor Sharangovich - Morgan Frost - Martin Pospisil

Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato

Ryan Lomberg - Kevin Rooney - Joel Farabee

Defence

Joel Hanley - MacKenzie Weegar

Kevin Bahl - Rasmus Andersson

Jake Bean - Brayden Pachal

Goaltenders

Dustin Wolf - starter

Dan Vladar

They Said It:

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 28, VGK 42

Powerplay: CGY 2-2, VGK 0-2

Faceoffs: CGY 45.9%, VGK 54.1%

Blocked Shots: CGY 19, VGK 19

Hits: CGY 22, VGK 13

5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 30, VGK 26

5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 14, VGK 8

Up Next:

The Flames will wrap up the season Thursday evening in Los Angeles, with puck drop slated for 7:30 p.m. MT.