What A Finale!

LOS ANGELES — A storybook ending to the season.

The Flames scored four times in the third period, including NHL debut tallies from Sam Morton and Zayne Parekh, to finish the 2024-25 campaign on a winning note, dispatching the Kings 5-1 at Crypto.com Arena.

Morton and Parekh, who were joined by forward Aydar Suniev and defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz in making their NHL debuts Thursday, helped extend the Calgary lead during a furious flurry of third-period offence.

Nazem Kadri added a pair of markers to reach 35 on the season, while Mikael Backlund also lit the lamp.

Dan Vladar turned in an excellent performance between the pipes, too, making 30 stops.

Vladar made the standout play of period one, with a stellar stop just before the nine-minute mark.

Rookie Taylor Ward - also playing in his first NHL contest - found himself in alone on the Flames netminder. He faked fore-hand, switched over to his backhand, but Vladar stretched out with his right leg and denied Ward from tucking the puck past him.

Vladar's counterpart - former Calgary netminder David Rittich - turned in a pair of high-danger stops of his own on slot shots, one off Yegor Sharangovich, the other off Dryden Hunt after the winger was set up by some hard work down the left wing by linemate Ryan Lomberg.

The Flames opened the scoring 2:15 into period two. Kadri grabbed the puck, skated behind the net then returned to an acceptable shooting angle in the circle to Rittich's left, beating the L.A. netminder short-side with quick wrister.

And that's how the score remained through 40 minutes of play.

Vladar played his part, too, making a trio of difficult saves on a pair of penalty-kills, including off a rocket of a one-timer from Kevin Fiala from the right circle.

He had to stand tall early in the third period as well, stoning Ward on another point-blank chance before a sensational pad stop off Fiala after the Kings forward accepted a 2-on-1 feed from Quinton Byfield.

That set the scene for Calgary's third period push at the other end of the rink, and a moment Morton will never forget.

Dryden Hunt carried the puck down the right wing, and from the half-wall sifted it across to Lomberg. He then centred it back in front to a streaking Morton, who crashed the net and deposited his first career NHL goal in the process.

Hunt went right back to his role as distributor less than 90 seconds later, delivering a delicious saucer pass over a Kings defender, enabling Kadri to bang home his 35th goal of the season.

Then, it was Parekh's turn. The defenceman skated down the right wing as the puck made its way back up top for Backlund. In turn, Parekh glided toward the slot, then got a touch on Backlund's long point shot to deflect home his first NHL goal, extending the lead to 4-0.

Backlund added a fifth at 8:24, snapping the puck short-side on Rittich from the left circle.

Ward finally got his goal to close out the scoring on a Kings powerplay.

The Lineup:

Forwards

Aydar Suniev - Nazem Kadri - Adam Klapka

Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato

Yegor Sharangovich - Morgan Frost - Joel Farabee

Ryan Lomberg - Sam Morton - Dryden Hunt

Defence

Kevin Bahl - Zayne Parekh

MacKenzie Weegar - Daniil Miromanov

Brayden Pachal - Hunter Brzustewicz

Goaltenders

Dan Vladar - starter

Dustin Wolf

They Said It:.

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 30, LAK 31

Powerplay: CGY 0-2, LAK 1-3

Faceoffs: CGY 55.8%, LAK 42.2%

Blocked Shots: CGY 11, LAK 7

Hits: CGY 15 LAK19

5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 20, LAK 19

5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 9, LAK 11