Flames Comeback Falls Short Against Hurricanes

The Flames suffered their first regulation loss of the 2024-25 campaign Thursday, falling 4-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Jake Bean and Jonathan Huberdeau counted the Calgary markers, as the locals fell to 5-1-1 to start the campaign.

The visitors opened the scoring, when Seth Jarvis gave Carolina the lead on a powerplay just past the midway mark of the opening frame. The Hurricanes forward accepted a pass from Sebastian Aho in the left circle, then quickly lifted the puck past netminder Dan Vladar for his second goal of the season.

Vladar made 13 saves in period one including a pair of high-danger stops; one came off Aho on a partial break, the other a sliding denial of Martin Necas after the Carolina forward was set up on a cross-ice, one-timer opportunity from the left circle.

The Flames tested Hurricanes starter Pyotr Kochetkov on a couple of occasions in the first frame, notably forcing the Russian puck-stopper into a glove save 90 seconds in after Nazem Kadri found some space in the left dot.

Carolina leads the League in both shot attempts and high-danger chances (per Natural Stat Trick); the visitors struck twice in quick succession to increase their lead to 3-0 inside two minutes of period two.

Jack Roslovic converted on a rebound attempt from in tight, before Necas placed his own second chance opportunity into the top corner.

Calgary got a goal back before the period was through, though.

With seven minutes on the clock, the puck came back to Bean at the left point. He snapped a shot that sailed through heavy traffic and over Kochetkov’s left shoulder for his first goal in Flames silks - against the NHL club that drafted him, no less.

Shots favoured the Hurricanes 18-14 in the middle stanza.

The pressure from the home side continued into the third.

And that pressure paid off with just under seven minutes left in regulation time, as Huberdeau cashed in on a rebound to Kochetkov’s left, firing in his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

At the other end, Vladar performed admirably, despite appearing under duress late in the game. He stretched across his crease to cover a loose puck when Roslovic clanked a golden opportunity off the post, then moments later he stretched and slid across his crease to deny Necas on a wraparound.

Eric Robinson iced the game with an empty-net marker 1:17 from time.

Vladar finished the contest with 39 saves - the most for him in any home performance during his career with Calgary.

Kadri led the Flames with seven shots on goal, while Justin Kirkland logged an assist and a team-high six hits.

The Lineup:

Forwards

Andrei Kuzmenko - Nazem Kadri - Martin Pospisil
Connor Zary - Mikael Backlund - Blake Coleman
Jonathan Huberdeau - Justin Kirkland - Anthony Mantha
Ryan Lomberg - Kevin Rooney - Matt Coronato

DEFENCE

Kevin Bahl - Rasmus Andersson
MacKenzie Weegar - Daniil Miromanov
Jake Bean - Brayden Pachal

GOALTENDERS

Dan Vladar (starter
Dustin Wolf

The Numbers Game:

Shots: CGY 31, CAR 43

Powerplay: CGY 0-2, CAR 1-3

Faceoffs: CGY 41.1%, CAR 58.9%

Blocked Shots: CGY 19, CAR 15

Hits: CGY 31, CAR 17

Takeaways: CGY 5, CAR 10

*5-on-5 Scoring Chances: CGY 17, CAR 38

*5-on-5 High-Danger Scoring Chances: CGY 7, CAR 14

*Courtesy of Natural Stat Trick

They Said It:

Up Next:

The Flames host the Winnipeg Jets for 90's Night Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome (GET TICKETS), before heading out on a two-game road trip beginning Monday in Las Vegas. Take note of Saturday's early start time, puck drop is slated for 5 p.m. MT.