Parekh, Morton each scores in NHL debut, Flames cruise past Kings

LOS ANGELES -- Sam Morton and Zayne Parekh each scored in his NHL debut, and the Calgary Flames defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.

“Honestly, like, all the days growing up playing hockey and tonight is one of those nights that just reminds you why you love the game and how special it can be,” Morton said.

Nazem Kadri scored twice, Mikael Backlund had a goal and an assist, and Dan Vladar made 30 saves for the Flames (41-27-14), who ended the season on a four-game winning streak and eight-game point streak (6-0-2).

Despite the late push, the Flames were eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention on Tuesday when the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues secured the two wild-card spots from the Western Conference.

“It’s just a little bit unfortunate that we’re done now,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “You know, 96 points usually gets you in [the playoffs], and unfortunately for us this year it didn’t.”

Taylor Ward scored in his NHL debut for the Kings (48-25-9), who will host the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their Western Conference First Round series Monday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, TVAS 2, FDSNW). David Rittich made 24 saves.

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Jan. 8 but was postponed because of wildfires that devastated the greater Los Angeles area.

Kadri gave the Flames a 1-0 lead at 2:15 of the second period when he looped around the right side of the net to beat Rittich to the short side.

Morton made it 2-0 at 6:05 of the third period when he got to the crease to put away Ryan Lomberg’s pass on an odd-man rush. Morton, who was undrafted free agent forward, played collegiately at Minnesota State University, Mankato before spending the past two seasons with Calgary of the American Hockey League

“I was trying just to stay in the moment as much as I could,” Morton said.

Kadri scored his 35th goal, extending his career high, with a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Dryden Hunt on a 2-on-1 rush to make it 3-0 at 7:28

Parekh, the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, redirected Backlund’s pass in from the right circle to push it to 4-0 at 8:24.

Parekh said was more concerned about running over teammate Blake Coleman than celebrating.

“I didn’t know what to do. It was a weird, little awkward situation,” Parekh said. “I wonder if I get credit for the hit and goal. I don’t know how that works.”

Backlund beat Rittich with a wrist shot from the left circle to extend the lead to 5-0 at 11:35.

“I thought they were excellent,” Huska said of Kadri and Backlund. “Yesterday, I would say, was a tough day. Like, it felt like a gut punch that we were officially out. So, you don’t really know how they’re going to respond today, and a lot of that falls on the leaders’ shoulders to make sure that the team continues to play the way we know how to play.”

Ward, an undrafted free agent forward who played collegiately at the University of Nebraska Omaha before spending the past four seasons with Ontario of the AHL, cleaned up Jordan Spence’s rebound on the power play for the 5-1 final at 13:49.

“That was the positive take out of the night, for sure,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said of Ward’s goal. “We’re all really happy for him. I thought he played really well. He had other chances, we saw that. He was around the puck. Despite getting the goal, I thought overall, I thought he impressed. His overall game was good."

Flames defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz and forward Aydar Suniev also made their NHL debut. Morton said it benefitted all four of them being able to go through the experience together.

“I think it’s just more fun to share it with someone,” Morton said. “Like, there’s a lot of questions I have. Like, I don’t know how to get to the rink, what to wear to pregame skate. Just going through that part of it with other guys so I don’t feel like the only idiot, it was nice to have.”

NOTES: It was the fifth instance since the NHL expanded in 1967-68 where three players making their debut each scored. … At 19 years and 61 days, Parekh became the sixth-youngest defenseman to score in his NHL debut. The only players younger than him to do so were Scott Stevens (18 years, 188 days), Jason Doig (18 years, 251 days), Ray Bourque (18 years, 287 days), Jamie Drysdale (18 years, 344 days) and Rick Lanz (19 years, 24 days). … Kadri closed the season on a four-game point streak (four goals, two assists). … Calgary forward Adam Klapka did not return after sustaining an apparent lower-body injury on a reverse hit from Kevin Fiala early in the third period.