Flames Fall To Penguins

Evgeni Malkin scored once, and set up the game-winner as the Penguins handed the Flames their first regulation loss in four games with a 4-1 decision Wednesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Yegor Sharangovich counted the lone Calgary marker, while newcomer Zach Whitecloud collected his first point as a Flame with his second-period assist.

Malkin opened the scoring for the visitors 7:49 into the first period, redirecting a Ryan Shea point shot just past the outstretched glove of Flames netminder Dustin Wolf. That 1-0 Pittsburgh lead held through the remainder of the frame, as the Penguins had an 11-5 advantage in shots on goal.

In the second, Malkin put his fingerprints on another Penguins tally, sifting a pass cross-zone to Thomas Novak, who touched it on to Egor Chinakhov in the slot, enabling the recent Pittsburgh acquisition to score his seventh of the season, and second in as many games against Calgary.

But the Flames pressured late, enjoying a lengthy spell of offensive zone time late in the period - with Penguins netminder Stuart Skinner's stick adrift below the goalline.

At the last gasp of the middle frame, Calgary finally broke through. Whitecloud fired a puck from the point that hit Sharangovich in the slot, changed direction and went in, cutting the deficit to 2-1 through 40 minutes.

Pittsburgh answered right back to start the third, though. Bryan Rust's wraparound attempt found Sidney Crosby 50 seconds in, the Penguins captain getting the last touch on the disc before it caromed over the line.

Novak added a fourth for the visitors on an odd-man rush just over eight minutes later, shortly after Skinner stoned Hunter Brzustewicz on a clear-cut chance from the high slot.

Wolf made 21 saves on the night.

Defenceman MacKenzie Weegar skated in his 600th career NHL game, while forward Martin Pospisil logged 12:51 of ice-time in his 2025-26 debut.

The Lineup:

FORWARDS

Yegor Sharangovich - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato

Connor Zary - Nazem Kadri - Matvei Gridin

Martin Pospisil - Morgan Frost - Joel Farabee

Ryan Lomberg - Justin Kirkland - Adam Klapka

DEFENCE

Yan Kuznetsov - MacKenzie Weegar

Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud

Joel Hanley - Hunter Brzustewicz

GOALTENDERS

Dustin Wolf - starter

Devin Cooley

They Said It:

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 19, PIT 25

Powerplay: CGY 0-1, PIT 0-1

Faceoffs: CGY 56.4%, PIT 45.6%

Hits: CGY 24, PIT 17

Blocked Shots: CGY 11, PIT 17

5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 25, PIT 25

5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 6, PIT 7

Up Next:

The Flames are back in action on home ice Friday night, when they play host to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MT. GET TICKETS