Ducks Talked Into a Loss, 2-1

In a season of ups and downs -- and downs and downs and downs -- the Mighty Ducks managed to find a new way to lose a hockey game.

With words.

That was the extra edge the Calgary Flames needed in a 2-1 victory Friday in front of 17,749 at Pengrowth Saddledome. It resulted in a new round of long faces in the dressing room, as the Ducks failed to extend a winning streak beyond two games for the fifth time this season.

All they could do was look back on the moment Vaclav Prospal expressed his frustration and anger with referee Mick McGeough after Sergei Fedorov was called for a penalty five minutes into the second period.

The fallout was harsh on the Ducks.

Prospal received plenty of time to ponder the situation, after he was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, with a 10-minute misconduct penalty as a bonus.

The Flames received a two-man advantage, which paid off when Jarome Iginla zipped a shot past goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere for a 2-0 Flame lead.

The Ducks received another reminder as to why they are out of the playoff race.

“I was not involved in the conversation,” Duck Coach Mike Babcock said. “I don’t know how it works. I know discipline is a huge part of this game. That cost us.

“I talked to Mick, and he just said [Prospal] didn’t treat him with respect.”

A pebble-in-the-pond moment that rippled.

The Ducks were down two goals and Prospal, their hottest player, could only watch from the penalty box when the Ducks received four power plays in the second period. Prospal had 10 goals and 16 points in the previous 10 games.

“It was painful to watch,” Prospal said. “I basically cost myself 16 minutes in a hockey game, because I was benched the last four minutes after I came back from penalty box. It was not a smart play.”

The Ducks have won back-to-back games six times this season. Only once have they extended the winning streak to three.

“For whatever reason, we just haven’t had any consistency this season,” forward Andy McDonald said.

The reason was pretty clear Friday. The Ducks talked themselves into a loss.

Prospal had evidence to back up his anger. The Ducks were called for three penalties in the first period, the Flames none. Jordan Leopold converted one of those into a 1-0 lead, when he whizzed a shot through traffic and past Giguere.

When Fedorov was called for obstruction hooking, Prospal had seen enough. He skated with McGeough toward the penalty box, talking rapidly and passionately -- too passionately.

“I expressed my feelings about the call that was made against us,” Prospal said. “I know I should have kept my mouth shut. It was the heat of the moment, I felt I had to say something because what was happening out there at that time and during the first period was unacceptable.

“I just said what I said, you don’t need to put it in the newspaper. It cost us the second goal.”

Which seemed more costly after Steve Rucchin chipped in a slick pass from Fedorov at 7:23 of the second period.

The Ducks best chance to tie the score came when goalie Miikka Kiprusoff stopped a Joffrey Lupul shot, then lost his footing; the puck sat unattended in the crease. McDonald took a swipe at it, but Leopold managed to get his stick on the puck.

“That’s the way it has been for us all season,” McDonald said. “We just don’t get any bounces.”