Flames Rally in Third Period to Edge Sharks 3-2

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Calgary Flames mounted a remarkable comeback to defeat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 at SAP Center on Monday night, securing a crucial win that keeps their playoff hopes alive. Trailing 1-0 at the start of the third period, Calgary scored three goals in a span of less than eight minutes to clinch the victory.

Calgary’s goaltender, Dustin Wolf, made 29 saves, helping the Flames improve to 37-27-13, while the Sharks fell to 20-47-10 with their sixth consecutive loss. The Flames now sit just four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card in the Western Conference with a game in hand.

Will Smith opened the scoring for San Jose with a goal at 19:35 of the first period, receiving a pass from Nikolai Kovalenko and firing it past Wolf to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky commended his team’s defensive performance early in the game, stating, “We competed; we did a lot of the right things that we’ve talked about this morning.”

However, the momentum shifted significantly in the third period when Adam Klapka equalized for Calgary at 8:12, tapping in a rebound from a 2-on-1 rush. Flames head coach Ryan Huska praised Wolf’s performance, acknowledging, “Dustin was the reason why we were in that game.”

Calgary took the lead with a power-play goal from Jonathan Huberdeau at the 11-minute mark, redirecting a shot from Morgan Frost. Shortly thereafter, Matt Coronato extended the Flames’ advantage to 3-1 with a goal at 15:30.

Smith responded for San Jose, scoring his second goal of the night during a power play at 18:01, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Despite pulling their goaltender in the final minute to gain an extra attacker, the Sharks were unable to equalize.

“We had chances in the last minute, but we couldn’t find a way to get that puck in the net,” Warsofsky lamented.

Key moments in the game included Wolf making critical saves, including stopping two quick shots from Smith during the second period that might have increased San Jose’s lead. The Sharks managed 31 shots on goal, including 18 in the first period, but could not secure their lead.

Calgary’s victory represents their ninth third-period comeback win this season, a testament to their resilience as they fight for a playoff spot. Huska noted, “Finding a way to win was important and allows us to stay in it.”

As both teams look ahead, Calgary will visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, while the Sharks face the Minnesota Wild. With only a few games remaining, each matchup carries significant implications for both teams.