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Flames Strike Early, Hold Off Ducks in 5-3 Win
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- Flames Strike Early, Hold Off Ducks in 5-3 Win
The Calgary Flames picked up a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on Saturday night, as the Ducks are now riding a five-game losing streak.
Devin Cooley got the start for Calgary, while Ryan Strome made his return to Anaheim for the first time since being dealt at the trade deadline.
© Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Anaheim struck first midway through the opening period. Jackson LaCombe set up Bennett Sennecke, who drove hard to the net and converted on his second chance after crashing the crease to make it 1-0 at 10:11. Jacob Trouba picked up the secondary assist.
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Calgary responded quickly. At 13:24, Joel Farabee took a feed from Matvei Gridin, broke in alone, and lifted a backhand over Ville Husso to tie the game 1-1.
Despite being outshot 16-6 in the first period, Cooley held the line and kept things even heading into the intermission.
The Flames grabbed control early in the second. Just 1:20 in, Strome finished off a stretch play, taking a feed from Martin Pospisil and beating Husso on a breakaway to give Calgary a 2-1 lead in his return game.
Farabee and Gridin connected again later in the period. On a two-on-one at 7:49, Farabee slid a pass across to Gridin, who tapped it into an open net for his sixth of the season, with Hunter Brzustewicz also drawing an assist.
© Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Morgan Frost extended the lead late in the frame, finishing off a breakaway after a stretch pass from Olli Maatta to make it 4-1.
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Anaheim pushed back in the third. Leo Carlsson capitalized on a broken play to cut the deficit to 4-2, then Mason McTavish brought the Ducks within one on the power play, wiring a shot short side to make it 4-3 at 9:51.
The Ducks pressed late, but Frost sealed it, scoring into the empty net for his second of the night to lock down the 5-3 win.
© Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Three Takeaways
Gridin continues to impress
Matvei Gridin was a difference-maker again, recording a goal and an assist for his second multi-point outing. The offensive instincts are showing up consistently.
Strome delivers in return
Ryan Strome made his presence felt against his former team, scoring on a breakaway and hitting the 500-point mark in the process.
Frost hits a milestone
Morgan Frost reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career and added an empty-netter, continuing to lead the Flames offensively.
