Dustin Wolf Stops 26 Shots as Flames’ Fourth Line Delivers 2-1 Win Over Sharks

Calgary’s 2-1 win over San Jose offered two encouraging signs: Dustin Wolf is finding his form, and the Flames’ fourth line can change a game. Wolf stopped 26 of 27 shots Monday at SAP Center, while Adam Klapka scored and assisted on William Stromgren’s first NHL goal, which proved to be the winner.

Wolf’s return came with a timely opportunity. Devin Cooley, who had won five straight games, is expected to miss time week-to-week with an injury. Wolf had been out of action for two weeks before entering in relief, and then earned his second consecutive start.

Coach Ryan Huska’s message to his goaltender was simple: get back into a game and play. “He’s a really good goaltender,” Huska said. “He gives us a chance to win every time he’s in the net.” Monday’s result gave that confidence a practical foundation: Wolf handled a late San Jose push and helped Calgary protect its lead.

Wolf settles in on familiar ice

The setting made the night personal for the Gilroy, California, native. Wolf grew up watching the Sharks and recalled attending games at SAP Center with his family, some of whom were in the building for his latest start. He has now gone 11-2 against San Jose, including a 5-1 record at the arena where his family once held season tickets.

That history is a useful detail, but the bigger story is the reset Wolf described after a difficult personal start to the season. The two-week break gave him time to clear his head and work on parts of his game. He said he now feels more confident in that work.

Wolf had to earn the win through a couple of demanding stretches. Late in the second period, the Sharks’ power play kept Calgary hemmed in during Simon Nemec’s too-many-men penalty. San Jose later cut the deficit to one when Sam Dickinson beat Wolf through traffic with eight minutes left in the third. The Flames were still ahead 2-1, and Wolf held on through the closing pressure.

He has now won two games in a row for the first time this season. Against a team he knows well, that was a steady performance built around timely saves and a composed finish.

Klapka and Stromgren make the most of their chance

Klapka was involved in both Calgary goals. In the first period, he returned from a tripping penalty and intercepted a pass near San Jose’s blue line. He used a defender as a screen, then sent a low shot past Yaroslav Askarov’s outstretched glove.

It was another strong showing for the 26-year-old, who had already drawn attention two games earlier with an early fight against Curtis Douglas in Calgary’s 6-2 home win. This time, Klapka made his mark with the puck and with the physical work of a checking line featuring Wranglers call-ups Jonathan Castagna and Stromgren.

Castagna helped create the opening goal by getting his stick on a clearing attempt, directing the puck to Klapka. He played a part in the second, too: midway through the third period, Castagna chipped the puck out of Calgary’s zone to Klapka, who carried it into the Sharks’ end and found Stromgren in front.

Stromgren’s first attempt was stopped, but he batted the rebound out of the air and past Askarov. The 23-year-old Swede had been called up to replace the injured Brennan Othmann after recording 11 points in 11 games with the Wranglers. His first NHL goal arrived in his season debut—and stood as the winning goal.

“First goal is kind of a dream—you don’t think further than that,” Stromgren said. He recalled blacking out in the moment and seeing Klapka celebrating. The two had spent time together as roommates on the road in the AHL, and Klapka said he was happy to play a part in his teammate’s milestone. He even took the puck as a keepsake for Stromgren.

The line’s work mattered beyond the two goals. Calgary trusted Klapka late, with Martin Pospisil and Matvei Gridin alongside him as the Flames defended their one-goal advantage. All five points in the game belonged to Flames fourth liners, and the team’s defensive structure helped Wolf close it out.

Calgary’s next stop

The result gives the Flames a boost as they finish a three-game road trip. Their next game is in Seattle on Wednesday, with a 9 p.m. MT start. Wolf’s back-to-back wins and the fourth line’s production give Calgary concrete positives to carry into that matchup; the next challenge is sustaining both while Cooley is out.

Calgary’s listed lines against San Jose:

Farabee – Backlund – Coronato
Suniev – Frost – Sharangovich
Gridin – Pospisil – Strome
Stromgren – Castagna – Klapka

Bahl – Nemec
Middleton – Whitecloud
Kuznetsov – Parekh

Goaltender: Wolf