Flames beat NHL-worst Sharks 5-1 in the season finale for the non-playoff teams
By The Associated Press on April 18, 2024.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) – Blake Coleman scored his 30th goal and MacKenzie Weegar netted his 20th as the Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-1 on Thursday night in the season-ending game for both teams. Adam Klapka posted his first NHL goal and Oliver Kylington, and Kevin Rooney also scored for Calgary (38-39-5). The Flames missed the postseason for the second straight season. Dustin Wolf had 16 saves and lost his shutout bid with nine seconds left in the game. The 23-year-old rookie closed the season with four straight wins and a record of 7-7-1. Fabian Zetterlund scored for San Jose (19-54-9), which finished with the worst record in the NHL. The Sharks have missed the playoffs the last five seasons. Mikael Granlund had an assist and finished the season with a 13-game point streak (two goals, 13 assists). Sharks starting goaltender Devin Cooley was pulled for the second straight game. After giving up eight goals on 22 shots on Monday in Edmonton, Cooley (2-3-1) allowed five goals on 23 shots before being replaced by Georgi Romanov (14 saves). Calgary jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period, scoring twice in a three-minute span. Klapka opened the scoring at 12:13. Coleman’s goal was an easy tap-in at the side of the net after he was set up on a perfect pass from Connor Zary. Coleman, who reached 30 goals for the first time, had missed the previous four games with an upper-body injury. Coleman’s previous career best was 22 goals with New Jersey in 2018-19. Calgary blew the game open early in the second with three more goals in a span of just over three minutes. Kylington whipped a point shot into the top corner at 3:53, Rooney picked the top corner at 5:59, and Weegar’s rising shot from the blue line found the back of the net at 6:56. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL 13-12
