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Ryan Huska, Head Coach of the Calgary Flames (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

3 Takeaways From Flames’ 3-1 Loss to Utah

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Apr 2, 2025 9:05 AM ET

The Calgary Flames weren’t able to pick up the two points they desperately needed on Tuesday night against the Utah Hockey Club in what was the second half of a back-to-back set. It was a hard-fought game from the Flames, who can’t at all be critiqued for their effort after a huge come-from-behind victory against the Colorado Avalanche approximately 24 hours prior.

While you can credit their effort, games like last night’s, even on a back-to-back, need to be won when in a playoff race like the Flames find themselves in. They were unable to do so, however, and have dug themselves into a deeper hole. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from last night’s outing.

Offensive Struggles Haunt Flames Again

It’s been the case all season long with this team. While they’ve gotten by thanks to some great goaltending and steady defensive play, they lack the gamebreaker that so many of the top teams in the NHL possess. It’s hurt them in other losses this season, and was evident again last night, as they managed just one goal in what ended up being a 3-1 loss.

“We had a good push in the third period. Portions in the second period we didn’t like,” head coach Ryan Huska said postgame. “I thought the first period was ok until the later portion where we started giving up too many chances.”

While guys like Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau have had solid seasons for the Flames, they aren’t top-tier stars that can take games over. For the second straight night, they were quiet, as the only Flame to register a point was Rasmus Andersson on a long-distance shot that beat Karel Vejmelka through traffic. The Utah goaltender was solid, though he wasn’t forced to make a ton of high-quality stops.

Controversial No-Goal Call

Though the Flames offence did struggle in this one, they may have been robbed of a goal. The Flames came oh-so-close to scoring a goal that would have resulted in this game being tied up, though after video review, it was deemed that the puck did not cross the goal line. That was a huge call, as Utah wound up scoring their third goal of the night on an empty net.

While the replay was very close, it did appear that the puck had fully crossed the goal line. Perhaps different camera angles showed it at a different spot, but many Flames fans are feeling like their team got the raw end of the deal on what was a very close and controversial ruling by the officials.

Playoff Hopes Slipping Away

This night was as bad as it could get for the Flames, as they not only lost to Utah, but also saw the St. Louis Blues rattle off their tenth-straight victory with a 2-1 overtime win versus the Detroit Red Wings. With the win, the Blues now sit at 89 points, while the Flames remain at 82. They do hold two games in hand on the Blues, but with just eight games remaining in the season, that is a very difficult gap to close in on.

The better target for the Flames now may be the Minnesota Wild, who hold the final wild card spot with 88 points. The Flames are five back of that, but do hold a game in hand. They’ll need a lot of help, but if they are able to string together a bunch of wins to close out the season, they may still have a chance.

Looking Ahead for the Flames

The Flames have two games remaining this week, both of which will be on home ice. The first will take place on Thursday versus the Anaheim Ducks, while the final will be on Saturday in a very difficult matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. At this point, both games are must-win given the current standings.