Ducks’ streak comes to an end in Calgary

For an unforgettable monthlong stretch, the Ducks found ways to win on nights when they had it all and on nights when they didn’t.

And on the rare night that didn’t end with a victory, they managed to always get a point out of it. At some point it all had to catch up with them, and the inevitable arrived Friday night.

The Ducks made history by becoming the only team to start a season with points in their first 16 games, but the streak ended quietly in a forgettable 3-0 loss to the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Eclipsing the streak held by the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers appeared to take a lot out of them. The Ducks (12-1-4) were the last NHL team to suffer a loss in regulation.

“We didn’t expect to go 82-0 this year,” center Ryan Getzlaf said. “It’s the matter of a long season. Obviously, we took this thing as far as we could. It’s over and we can just relax and get ready for Sunday” against Minnesota.

For once, the Ducks didn’t get any breaks. They outshot Calgary, 37-18, but found Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff impenetrable in being shut out for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Calgary treated the night as if it were a playoff game. It figured, since the Ducks were making their first visit since their stunning 3-0 upset in Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

The Flames haven’t been the same since, but in winning their third consecutive game after a 3-7-2 start they’re finally beginning to look like the team many predicted to win the Northwest Division.

“I don’t know if it was so much last year but more that they started off slow this year and they kind of feel like they’re turning things around,” Ducks defenseman Sean O’Donnell said. “I think they were pretty fired up tonight.”

Calgary did its damage in a 19-second span in the first period. Daymond Langkow took a drop pass from Jarome Iginla and threw a shot on the net that Ilya Bryzgalov deflected but the puck ricocheted off teammate Chris Kunitz in the crease and into the net.

Bryzgalov then gained entry into Coach Randy Carlyle’s doghouse. Tony Amonte whistled a shot past the second-year backup on his glove side after earning the breakaway when he blocked Shane O’Brien’s shot near the blue line.

The Flames had just three shots in the period but Bryzgalov made one save and that was all Carlyle needed to see.

“I just didn’t like the way he was in the net,” Carlyle said. “The Amonte goal went through him. There was another one that came through the crease, got through him and hit the post. I didn’t think he was composed enough in the net to give us a chance.”

Bryzgalov was also pulled on Oct. 15 against Dallas and he now wonders if Carlyle has lost faith in him.

“I think he doesn’t trust me,” he said. “That’s why he does it. It’s tough to play when the coach [is] not believing in you.”

On being pulled, Bryzgalov said, “I don’t know if it’s a good move. He has to decide that.”

Jean-Sebastien Giguere played the final two periods and stopped all 14 shots he faced. Matthew Lombardi applied the finishing touch for the Flames with an empty-net goal.

Carlyle wasn’t repentant about giving Bryzgalov the early hook.

“I did it for the 20 guys, not for worrying about the one individual,” Carlyle said. “When I do those things, I make the decision based on what’s best for the rest of the group. I think that’s most important.

“I’m sorry if it hurts people but that’s the reality of how it goes down.”

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Forwards Travis Green and Stanislav Chistov, along with defenseman Ian Moran, were healthy scratches. Green has yet to play this season and Chistov and Moran have played once.... Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Teemu Selanne, Andy McDonald and Giguere are among the 50 Western Conference players on the NHL All-Star ballot.