Ducks Face Fifth Consecutive Loss, Impacting Their Chances for the Pacific Title

Ryan Strome Reaches Milestone as Flames Defeat Ducks 5-3

In a significant milestone, Ryan Strome scored his 500th career point with a goal against his former team, leading the Calgary Flames to a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks Saturday night. The win marks the Flames’ first triumph over Anaheim this season and extends the Ducks’ losing streak to five games.

Morgan Frost contributed notably for Calgary, netting two goals, while teammates Joel Farabee and Matvei Gridin each added a goal and an assist. Flames goaltender Devin Cooley made an impressive 36 saves, helping his team maintain control throughout the match.

For the Ducks, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish scored in the third period, attempting a comeback from a 4-1 deficit. However, Frost sealed the game with his second goal into an empty net with just over a minute left to play. Beckett Sennecke also found the net for Anaheim as Ville Husso registered 15 saves, but the Ducks’ defense continued to struggle.

The Ducks, striving to break a seven-year playoff drought under first-year coach Joel Quenneville, face a challenging situation. Despite being tied with the first-place Edmonton Oilers at 87 points after their loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, this recent skid poses a significant threat to their playoff ambitions.

Strome, who joined Calgary from Anaheim last month, capitalized on a defensive lapse to score during a breakaway early in the second period. This marked his fifth goal in 15 games since the trade. Previously, Strome had spent 3½ seasons with the Ducks but faced challenges with inconsistent playing time under Coach Quenneville.

Sennecke opened the scoring for Anaheim, muscling in his 23rd goal of the season—the highest among NHL rookies. However, the Flames quickly responded with four unanswered goals, prompting boos from the Honda Center crowd as they went into the second intermission.

Carlsson’s 27th goal in the third and McTavish’s power play score offered a glimmer of hope for the Ducks, but Calgary’s defense held firm. The Ducks were further hampered by injuries, missing key players including top scorer Cutter Gauthier and defensemen Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov. Defenseman Tyson Hinds made his NHL debut amid these struggles.

The Ducks will look to regroup as they prepare to face the Nashville Predators at Honda Center on Tuesday night.