Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri (91) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Kings with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe (9) celebrates his goal against the Calgary Flames with defenseman Drew Doughty (8) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) lets in a goal from Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe (9) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings goalie David Rittich (31) swats the puck away from Calgary Flames forward Kevin Rooney (21) as defenseman Drew Doughty (8) trails during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings forward Trevor Moore (12) checks Calgary Flames defenseman Brayden Pachal (94) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar (11) and defenseman Jordan Spence (21) turn Calgary Flames forward Matthew Coronato (27) upside down during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Andreas Englund (5) and Calgary Flames forward Kevin Rooney (21) jostle for position as goalie David Rittich (31) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings forward Viktor Arvidsson (33) just misses the net as Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy (3) checks Calgary Flames forward Andrei Kuzmenko (96) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
CALGARY, Alberta — Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves and the Calgary Flames beat the Kings 4-2 on Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Anze Kopitar also scored and former Flames goalie David Rittich stopped 31 shots.
Martin Pospisil, Blake Coleman and MacKenzie Weegar also scored for the Flames and Andrei Kuzmenko had assists. At 34-34-5, the Flames are out of playoff contention.
Five of the six goals came on power plays, with Calgary going 3 for 5 with the man advantage and the Kings going 2 for 4. The Kings, at 38-24-11, hold the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with nine games remaining — five points ahead of St. Louis.
“That’s the story of an 82-game season. Really can’t get too high, can’t get too low,” Kopitar said. “Now we’ve got nine left. We’ve, obviously, got to bring it and make sure that we get into the playoffs and then we’ll go from there.”
Kadri scored Calgary’s first goal, assisted on the second and decked Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson into the boards in front of Calgary’s bench to spur the Flames to a 2-1 lead after the first period.
“When Naz is at his best, he drags people into the fight with him,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said.
Off strong homestand, Kings take momentum up to Canada
The Flames outshot the Kings 20-4 over the first 30 minutes. Weegar blocked six shots in the first two periods and scored a power-play goal in the third.
“You’ve got to get dirty and sore sometimes to gut out some victories like this,” said Weegar, who finished with seven blocks.
The Flames were without forward Andrew Mangiapane for a second straight game because of an undisclosed injury. The Kings were without Philip Danault because of an upper-body injury.
