The Calgary Flames Drop The Game 5-3 To The LA Kings

Calgary Flames 3 – LA Kings 5

Complete Stats

Recap

David Rittich with a stellar start — making big saves, one of them a shorthanded breakaway chance by Trevor Moore. The LA Kings with all the scoring chances. Rittich made 13 saves to keep it 0-0 to end the first period.

The rest of the Flames team sluggish in the first. Getting fired up in the second period after the Milan Lucic – Kurtis MacDermid fight. Calgary would open the scoring — Calvin Petersen handling the puck behind the Kings’ net — Mangiapane getting a piece of it, sending the puck to Tkachuk who gets a quick pass off to Backlund for the goal as Petersen struggles to get back in position.

The Flames lead would last 44 seconds. The Kings scoring 2 goals, 39 seconds apart. Tyler Toffoli getting the first, Austin Wagner getting the second off of a breakaway. The puck bouncing in the Kings zone — Rieder not able to get a handle on it. The Flames lagging, allowing for Wagner to breakaway and score the go ahead goal for LA.

Not a shot for either team for a couple of minutes, the SOG 21-21 a piece with three minutes left to play in the second. The second period would end 2-1 with the Kings up.

MacDermid would make it 3-1, giving the Kings a two goal lead 1:42 into the third period.

Derek Ryan playing with Gaudreau and Lindholm pays off, the Flames back within one. Elias Lindholm leading the team scoring with his 23rd goal of the season.

Nothing coming out of a 5-on-3 PP for Calgary. Dillion Dube getting a couple of good looks, but no dinero.

The Kings would strike again, this time Jeff Carter blasts one past Rittich. There was no stopping that shot, and Rittich would take his frustration out by smashing his stick. Calgary down by two with under five minutes left to play.

Flames last ditch attempt, pulling the goalie early, with over three minutes left in the game pays off with Lindholm scoring his second goal of the game.

The Kings would put the nail in the coffin with an empty net goal by Sean Walker — 5-3 win for the LA Kings.

Scoring

Calgary Flames

1st: None

2nd: 11:37 – Backlund (8) (Tkachuk)

3rd: 3:25 – Lindholm (23) (Ryan/Gaudreau), 16:51 – Lindholm (24) (Gaudreau/Andersson)

LA Kings

1st: None

2nd: 12:21 – Toffoli (15) (Kopitar/Lafallo), 13:00 – Wagner (4) (Lewis)

3rd: 1:42 – MacDermid (3) (Brown/Lizotte), 15:12 – Carter (17) (Kempe/Frk), 19:57 EN – Walker (5) (Kopitar)

Final Thoughts

Geoff Ward throwing off fans again with his line juggling, and pulling the goalie early, but both times he succeeded thanks to two Lindholm goals.

Monahan has been throwing some hits, and Gaudreau has had a couple of good scoring chances, but no points between the pair.

Flame of the Game

David Rittich (G): made some big saves on dangerous shots by the Kings, keeping the Flames in the game for as long as he could.

What’s Next?

2/13/2020: Calgary Flames vs. Anaheim Ducks @ Honda Center, 8PM MT.

by Renu Sahota