Flames beat the playoff-bound Kings 3-1 to end the season
Los Angeles Kings' Quinton Byfield, right, scores against Calgary Flames goalie Arsenii Sergeev (40) during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday, April 16, 2026. Credit: AP/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY, Alberta — Arsenii Sergeev made 27 saves in his first NHL start, Zayne Parekh broke a third-period tie and the Calgary Flames beat the playoff-bound Los Angeles Kings 3-1 on Thursday night to end the season.
The Kings learned during the game that they’d be the second wild-card in the Western Conference and face NHL regular-season champion Colorado in the first round — with Game 1 on Sunday in Denver.
Los Angeles finished 35-27-20. Earlier Thursday, Edmonton took second place in the Pacific Division with a 6-1 home victory over Vancouver, and Anaheim won 5-4 at Nashville to finish third.
Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee also scored for Calgary. The Flames finished 34-39-9.
Kings star Anze Kopitar appeared in his final regular-season game, finishing with the seventh-most career points by a born and trained European player with 1,316. The leader of the category is Jaromir Jagr with 1,921.
Quinton Byfield scored for Los Angeles, and Anton Forsberg made 18 saves.
Frost opened the scoring at 5:21 of the second period on a power play with his 22nd of the season. Byfield tied it less than two minutes later with his 24th.
Los Angeles Kings' Quinton Byfield, centre, celebrates his goal with teammates Trevor Moore, left, and Alex Laferriere during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Credit: AP/Jeff McIntosh
Farabee scored into an empty net to reach 20 goals.
