CALGARY — Blake Coleman scored twice and rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf made 26 stops to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-1 NHL victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.
Nazem Kadri, with his team-leading 31st goal, and Kevin Rooney also scored for Calgary (36-27-12), which improved to 6-2-1 in its last nine.
Olen Zellweger scored for Anaheim (33-34-8).
Desperately trying to stay in the Western Conference playoff chase, Calgary climbs to within five points of the Minnesota Wild for the second wild-card spot. The Flames hold one game in hand and the two teams meet next Friday at the Saddledome.
With the win, Wolf improved to 25-16-6.
John Gibson got the start for Anaheim and stopped 23 of 26 shots before leaving with a lower-body injury after two periods and being replaced by Lukas Dostal.
Gibson, who fell to 11-11-2, appeared to get shaken up with 24 seconds to go in the second when Martin Pospisil was hauled down by Radko Gudas as he cut in off the wing, colliding heavily with Gibson in the process.
Gudas was penalized for holding and Coleman’s second goal at 1:17 of the third period, making it 4-1, came on that power play.
TAKEAWAYS
Ducks: The loss officially eliminates Anaheim from the Western Conference playoff race. It’s the seventh straight season they’ve missed the post-season. Also coming to an end on Thursday was defenceman Jackson Lacombe’s six-game scoring streak (three goals, five assists).
Flames: Calgary improves to 12-4-4 against the Pacific Division including a perfect 3-0-0 against Anaheim, who the Flames meet again in six days at Honda Center. In net, all three wins has been Wolf. Hailing from Gilroy, Calif., Wolf improved his career mark to 11-1-0 against teams from California.
KEY MOMENT
Halfway through the second period with the scored tied 1-1 and the Ducks on the power play, Coleman got his stick on a cross-ice pass at the blue line and on the ensuing breakaway, fired a shot past Gibson for his first short-handed goal of the season. Five minutes later, Rooney snapped an 18-game goalless drought and the home team took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
KEY STAT
Going back to 2017-18, Wolf’s 25 wins are the second most by a rookie goaltender behind Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner, who had 29 wins in 2022-23.
UP NEXT
Ducks: Travel to Vancouver to take on the Canucks on Saturday.
Flames: Play host to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2025.
Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press
