Flames' Arsenii Sergeev shines in NHL debut; Kings get 2nd wild card

Rookie goalie makes 27 saves as Calgary tops Los Angeles in season finale

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:25am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a hockey game, with the players' figures abstracted into angular, intersecting shapes in a vibrant color palette of royal blue, crimson red, and metallic silver.A cubist interpretation of the high-intensity action on the ice as the Flames and Kings battled in their final regular season matchup.Los Angeles Today

Arsenii Sergeev made 27 saves in his NHL debut to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings in the teams' final regular season game. The Kings clinched the second wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference despite the loss.

Why it matters

The game marked the end of the regular season for both teams, with the Kings securing a postseason berth while the Flames missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Sergeev's impressive debut in net for Calgary was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the team.

The details

Rookie goaltender Arsenii Sergeev stopped 27 of 28 shots to backstop the Flames to victory in his NHL debut. Morgan Frost, Zayne Parekh, and Joel Farabee scored for Calgary, with Parekh netting the game-winner in the third period. Quinton Byfield scored the lone goal for the Kings, who clinched the second wild card spot in the Western Conference despite the loss.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 17, 2026, the final game of the regular season.
  • Parekh broke a 1-1 tie 6:08 into the third period with the game-winning goal.
  • Farabee added an empty-net tally with 40 seconds left in the game.

The players

Arsenii Sergeev

A rookie goaltender for the Calgary Flames who made 27 saves in his NHL debut.

Quinton Byfield

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who scored the team's lone goal in the game.

Anze Kopitar

The longtime captain of the Los Angeles Kings, who played his final regular season game before retiring after 20 NHL seasons.

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What’s next

The Los Angeles Kings will face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the NHL playoffs starting on Sunday.

The takeaway

Arsenii Sergeev's impressive NHL debut provided a bright spot for the Calgary Flames, who missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth despite the loss, setting up a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche.