Flames vs Ducks ends with Calgary first win of season
Key takeaways
- Calgary beat Anaheim 4-2 on October 13, 2026. It was the Flames' first win after five losses.
- Martin Pospisil scored the winner with 4:22 left. Yegor Sharangovich added an empty-net goal late.
- Aydar Suniev had one goal and one assist. Calgary plays at Vegas on Thursday.
Calgary beat Anaheim 4-2 on Tuesday night. The win was the first for the Flames this season. Martin Pospisil scored the late winner with 4:22 left in the third period.
The game took place in Anaheim, California. Calgary had lost its first five games before this win. The Ducks had won their last two games before this loss.
What happened
The NHL is the top pro hockey league in North America. Calgary and Anaheim play in that league. The game moved fast from the start.
Both teams had clear chances early. Calgary scored first and never gave up.
A fast start for Calgary
Adam Klapka gave Calgary a 1-0 lead. He scored at 8:32 of the first period. The first period is the first part of the game.
Calgary struck first, but Anaheim answered fast. Beckett Sennecke tied the game at 1-1. He scored at 12:09 of the first period. He stole the puck in his own half of the ice.
Then he skated alone toward the Calgary goal. A breakaway means one player skates alone at the goal. He scored on that breakaway.
The goal came during 4-on-4 play. That means each team had four players on the ice, plus a goalie. Leo Carlsson then put Anaheim ahead 2-1. He scored at 14:05 of the first period.
It was a power-play goal. A power play means one team has more players on the ice. It happens after the other team takes a penalty.
Anaheim led 2-1 after the first period.
Calgary ties the game in the second period
Aydar Suniev tied the game at 2-2. He scored at 8:02 of the second period. It was a one-timer. A one-timer means the player shoots at once.
He shoots without stopping the puck first. The goal came just after a big Calgary chance. Calgary had a 5-on-3 advantage for two minutes.
That means Calgary had two extra players on the ice. It happens when the other team takes two penalties. Calgary did not score during that advantage.
Suniev scored eight seconds after it ended. It was his second goal in two games. He had scored his first NHL goal on Saturday.
That game was also against the Ducks. Suniev finished with one goal and one assist. An assist is a pass that sets up a goal.
It was his first game with two points. Points count goals plus assists. It came in his 10th career game.
Pospisil wins it late
The score stayed 2-2 into the late third period. Then Pospisil broke the tie. He took a pass from Suniev.
He faked a shot. Then he fired a low shot into the net. Calgary led 3-2 with 4:22 left.
Yegor Sharangovich sealed the win soon after. He scored into an empty net with 1:22 left. An empty net means the goalie has left the ice.
The team pulls the goalie to add an extra attacker. It is a late gamble when a team trails. This time, it did not work for Anaheim.
The final score was Calgary 4, Anaheim 2. Goalie Dustin Wolf made 23 saves for Calgary, according to Reuters. A save means the goalie stops a shot on goal. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for Anaheim.
A home-and-home set
The two teams just played twice in a row. They played a home-and-home set. That means two games in a row, one in each city.
Anaheim won the first game 4-2 on Saturday. That game was in Calgary. Calgary won the second game 4-2 in Anaheim.
Each team won once. Each team won on the road. On the road means away from home.
Calgary won despite its slow start to the season.
Why it matters
The win ended a rough start for Calgary. The Flames had lost their first five games. That was the longest losing streak to start a season in team history.
One win does not fix a season. But it stops the slide and lifts the mood. Calgary now has a record of 1-5. A 1-5 record means one win and five losses.
The win also fits a strong pattern for Calgary. Calgary has now won 58 straight games when it scores four or more goals. That streak shows the value of scoring four goals.
Calgary also plays well in Anaheim. The Flames have won 11 of their last 13 visits to Anaheim. Read our Frozen Frenzy roundup for more NHL games.
For Anaheim, the loss ends a short winning run. The Ducks had won two games in a row. They fell to 4-2 with this loss.
Anaheim still has a winning record. But the loss shows how fast a lead can slip. Anaheim led after the first period.
Then Calgary scored three goals in a row. Close finishes have been common this week. The Carolina Hurricanes rallied past Washington in another close game.
Young players shaped the game for both teams. Suniev led Calgary with two points. Roger McQueen made his NHL debut for Anaheim.
McQueen was the No 10 pick in the 2025 draft. The draft is the yearly event where teams pick young players. He had one shot on goal in 11:26 of ice time.
Ice time means minutes played. His debut came because two Ducks forwards were out. Forwards are the attacking players.
Ryan Poehling has a knee injury that will keep him out six to eight weeks. Cutter Gauthier missed the game with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.
Day-to-day means he could return soon. Mikael Granlund also set a team mark for Anaheim. He has a point in each of the first six games.
A point streak means points in game after game. He is the first Ducks player to start a season with that streak.
What happens next
Both teams play again soon. Calgary visits the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Anaheim hosts Boston on Friday.
Calgary will try to build on this win. A second win in a row would ease the pressure. Anaheim will try to bounce back at home.
The Ducks still have time to fix their mistakes. Watch the young players in both games. Suniev will try to keep his scoring run going.
McQueen will try to build on his debut. The next games will show if Calgary can keep winning.
For now, Calgary has its first win. The Flames earned it with a late push on the road. The next test comes Thursday in Vegas.
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