First Game, First Dub!

Sergeev backstops Flames to 3-1 win over Kings

By Chris Wahl

CalgaryFlames.com

April 17, 2026

It was the wake-up call he dreamed of.

And the NHL debut he'd been hoping for his entire life.

Arsenii Sergeev - recalled under emergency conditions from the AHL's Wranglers earlier today - stopped 27 of the 28 shots that came his way, helping the Flames to a 3-1 win over the Kings in their season finale Thursday in the annual Fan Appreciation Night.

Zayne Parekh's bit of third-period brilliance stood as the game-winner, while Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee also tickled the twine.

See all the action from Thursday night's tilt

Sergeev was put to the test right off the hop, as the Kings held a 7-1 edge in shots on goal at the first T.V. timeout. He denied Trevor Moore with a kick save in tight, then got a pad to an Adrian Kempe blast from the right circle in the early stages of the game.

He got Moore a second time with a sensational stop just past the midpoint of the opening stanza, lunging to his right to stone the Kings winger after Moore got a favourable bounce off the end boards.

Sergeev with a great save against Trevor Moore

Calgary broke the ice on a second-period powerplay thanks to a nifty cross-ice pass from Matvei Gridin to Frost. The rookie winger curled at the right half-wall, then spotted his centre at the bottom of the left circle, zipping a pass across the L.A. zone for Frost to redirect home his team-leading 22nd goal of the season.

Frost with a backdoor tip-in off cross-ice feed from Gridin

Quinton Byfield tapped in the equalizer for the Kings just over a minute later, and the game remained deadlocked at 1-1 into the second intermission, but only thanks to Sergeev, who robbed Alex Laferriere with about three-and-a-half minutes to play. Laferriere found himself alone in front of the Calgary net, but Sergeev - each of his extremities lunging in a different direction - got a blocker-hand to the Kings forward’s backhand effort before Byfield tapped the rebound just wide of the right post.

Sergeev denies Alex Laferriere

The third period brought with it a moment of in-Zayne-ity.

Parekh accepted a pass from partner Zach Whitecloud, then scooted back and forth up the left wall, shaking the check of a Los Angeles defender. Once free, he took two strides toward the net, then ripped a puck over goalie Anton Forsberg's left shoulder and into the top corner for his fifth career NHL goal - and third against the Kings.

You gotta see this - Parekh scores an absolute gem in third against Kings

Then, it was up to Sergeev, and the rookie netminder delivered. First, he stopped Kopitar on a one-timer attempt before making a trio of saves in tight off Scott Laughton.

Farabee hit his 20-goal milestone in the final minute, directing the puck into the open Kings cage to round out the scoring.

After the game, the Flames lined up to shake the hand of Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who played his 1,521st and final NHL regular-season contest Thursday in h