Rookie Netminder Shines in Flames' Season Finale Victory

Arsenii Sergeev makes impressive NHL debut as Calgary Flames close out 2025-26 season with win over playoff-bound Los Angeles Kings.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 3:37pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a hockey goaltender making a save and a forward celebrating a goal, with the vibrant colors of the Flames and Kings uniforms breaking down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes.Arsenii Sergeev's stellar NHL debut and Joel Farabee's milestone 20th goal highlight the Flames' season-ending victory over the playoff-bound Kings.San Jose Today

In the final game of the season, the Calgary Flames turned to rookie goaltender Arsenii Sergeev to start in net, and the young netminder delivered an outstanding performance, making 27 saves on 28 shots to earn his first NHL victory in his debut. The Flames skated to a 3-1 win over the playoff-bound Los Angeles Kings, with forward Joel Farabee scoring his 20th goal of the season in the final minute of play.

Why it matters

Sergeev's impressive debut provides a bright spot for the Flames as they look ahead to the offseason, while the team also celebrated a milestone 20-goal season for forward Joel Farabee. The game also marked the final regular season appearance for Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who received a tribute from the Flames players and coaching staff.

The details

With starting goaltender Devin Cooley out due to illness, the Flames turned to Arsenii Sergeev, who was called up from the AHL's Calgary Wranglers on an emergency basis. Sergeev made a number of highlight-reel saves, including a crucial stop on a shot from Trevor Moore in the second period. Despite the Kings already having clinched a playoff spot, the Flames played a smart, structured game and got goals from three different skaters to secure the victory.

  • Sergeev made his NHL debut on April 17, 2026, the final game of the 2025-26 regular season.
  • Farabee scored his 20th goal of the season in the final minute of play.

The players

Arsenii Sergeev

A rookie goaltender who was called up from the AHL's Calgary Wranglers on an emergency basis and made an impressive NHL debut, stopping 27 of 28 shots to earn his first career NHL victory.

Joel Farabee

A Flames forward who scored his 20th goal of the season in the final minute of play, marking the third time in his career he has reached the 20-goal milestone.

Anze Kopitar

The veteran Los Angeles Kings captain who played in the final regular season game of his illustrious NHL career, receiving a tribute from the Flames players and coaching staff.

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What they’re saying

“He was really good. Happy for him. Quite the moment for him. Showed up this morning with really not knowing what was going on or what was happening and went from this maybe you might skate this morning to maybe you might back up to you're gonna start. So pretty excited young man. I think he did a great job.”

— Ryan Huska, Flames Head Coach

“Oh, my God, I get so lucky, too. There was a couple moments where it was like empty net, and I was like, 'oh, my God, oh, my God, please don't score.'”

— Arsenii Sergeev

What’s next

Sergeev will join the AHL's Calgary Wranglers for the final two games of their season after his impressive NHL debut.

The takeaway

Sergeev's standout performance in his NHL debut provides a promising glimpse into the Flames' future in net, while the team also celebrated a milestone 20-goal season for forward Joel Farabee and paid tribute to the legendary career of Kings captain Anze Kopitar.