In Anaheim, the Ducks fell behind, 4-0 to the visiting Calgary Flames on Friday night before rallying to close the gap to 4-3 in the third period. 
The Flames countered with a pair of late markers to take a 6-3 win.
Andrei Kuzmenko hit for a hat trick in the game, his final two coming in the third period to give the Flames breathing room for the win.
“A very good step up for me,” Kuzmenko said.
Dustin Wolf made 19 saves in the win.
“As a group, we just battled,” Wolf said. “It got to 4-3 with I think 12 minutes left, and we just had to battle. I tried to make a couple saves when I needed to, and we got a couple more (goals), which certainly helped.”
The Flames moved to 36-38-5.
“There was a lot to like on a back-to-back where we haven’t been great this year (1-6-1),” Calgary coach Ryan Huska said. “It was nice to see them respond here tonight.”
Calgary was buzzing throughout the first 40 minutes of the game.
Andrew Mangiapane hit for a shorthanded goal at 5:54 of the opening stanza for a 1-0 lead.
Nazem Kadri pushed the lead to 2-0 with each team skating man short. at 11:53.
The Flames made it 3-0 at 5:43 of the second period when Kuzmenko potted his first of the game, on the power play, at 5:43 of the middle frame, scoring off an errant puck at the crease for the 3-0 advantage.
With 92 seconds left in the second, Connor Zary scored to make it 4-0 headed to the third period.
“The first two periods, we were so bad,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “It was like you couldn’t find anybody that could harness a change. There was nobody finishing checks, there was nobody ripping shots. Nobody defended well.”
The Ducks dropped to 26-49-5 off their eighth loss in a dozen matches.
“I think the future’s bright around here,” Anaheim’s Cam Fowler said. “So many young players who are ready to take that next step. So I know the fans are all excited about that, just as we are as players, and I hope that carries into next season and we’re competing for a playoff spot.”
The rose-colored glasses were working in Anaheim.
In the third, the Ducks finally found the offense in their game with three straight goals.
In his first NHL game, Sam Colangelo scored at 2:54 of the third to make it 4-1, he collected a loose puck in the crease and pushed it home f the goal.
“It felt incredible,” Colangelo said. “I kind of blacked out for a second there. I just tried to get a little [celebration] in and just enjoy it with the teammates.”
Fr
ank Vatrano scored from the below the left circle to close the gap to 4-2 at at 6:13.
Olen Zellweger trimmed the deficit to one at 4-3, with a goal at 7:01, scoring off a wrister from the atop the right circle.
“Credit to them, they took over the first 10 minutes of the third period,” Kadri said. “We needed to settle everybody down.”
Kuzmenko then went to work on his hat trick.
He potted his double at 14:22, scoring off the power play for a 5-3 lead to Calgary.
He collected his hats at 17:19 to make it 6-3 .
John Gibson made 21 saves in the loss, and should sue for non support.
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