The Calgary Flames dropped to 1-6-0 after a 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night.

Vegas struck early and capitalized on its special teams opportunities, while the Flames struggled to find consistency defensively. Calgary managed to cut into the deficit in the second period, but the Golden Knights responded almost immediately to take control of the game.

Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the contest, skating into the Flames zone before firing a shot over Dustin Wolf’s shoulder to give Vegas an early lead.

The Golden Knights doubled their advantage at 9:34 of the first period with a shorthanded goal. Jack Eichel intercepted the puck and broke in alone on Wolf, beating him on the glove side to make it 2-0.

Calgary found a response while shorthanded in the second period, as Jake Middleton scored his first goal as a Flame at 10:15. Joel Farabee set up Middleton in the slot, where the defenceman ripped a wrist shot past Carter Hart to cut the deficit to one.

However, the momentum didn’t last long. Vegas answered just 48 seconds later, with Braeden Bowman finishing a quick passing play on the power play to restore the Golden Knights’ two-goal lead.

Vegas added another early in the third period. At 1:06, Eichel sent a cross-seam pass to Mark Stone at the side of the net, where the Golden Knights captain redirected the puck past Wolf to make it 4-1.

Stone struck again at 12:10, beating Wolf with a backhand to complete the scoring and completed the natural hat-trick late in the game as Eichel set up the Vegas captain for this third goal of the period.

Matt Coronato scored a late powerplay goal, but it was too little too late as the Flames fell 6-2.

1. The Flames need timely saves

The Flames couldn’t afford to give up goals at critical moments, but that’s exactly what happened in Vegas.

Howden scored on the opening shift, putting Calgary behind immediately. Then, after Middleton cut the deficit to one in the second period, the Golden Knights responded less than a minute later.

Those goals made it difficult for the Flames to build any momentum. Wolf and the Calgary defence need to find a way to limit those momentum-killing moments, particularly when the team starts to generate some offence of its own.

2. Special teams made the difference

Both teams found the scoresheet on special teams, but Vegas made better use of its opportunities.

Calgary got a shorthanded goal from Middleton, and a powerplay goal late from Coronato, while the Golden Knights scored once shorthanded and added a power-play marker of their own.

The Flames showed they can create offence on special teams, but they couldn’t build on that success. Vegas, meanwhile, answered Calgary’s shorthanded goal with a power-play marker of its own, quickly restoring its two-goal advantage.

In a game where Calgary needed something to swing its way, the Golden Knights consistently had the answer.

3. Middleton gives the Flames another scoring option

Middleton’s second-period goal was a positive takeaway from another difficult night for Calgary.

The defenceman jumped into the rush, found space in the slot and finished Farabee’s pass with a quick wrist shot. It was his first goal since joining the Flames and his first career shorthanded marker.

Middleton was brought in to provide physicality, experience and leadership on the blue line. Getting offence from him is an added bonus, particularly for a team that has struggled to generate consistent scoring.

The Flames need more contributions throughout the lineup. With the team searching for answers early in the season, goals from unexpected sources can help, but Calgary needs to turn those moments into more complete efforts.