CALGARY, Alberta – It took the Rangers just 16 seconds to get back into a game they had no part in at the halfway point.

That was all their efforts were good for, however, as the Flames came out on top in the third period to hand the Rangers a 3-2 loss and end their three-game winning streak Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.

The jackhammer that was the Flames’ attack, which was especially powerful in the first period and gave the home team the undisputed upper hand, ultimately prevailed.

“We got overworked,” head coach Peter Laviolette said bluntly through pursed lips, referring to the first period in particular.

A few minutes before the halfway mark, the Flames had reached more than 30 shots on goal before the Rangers even reached double figures.

The scoreboard reflected that as well, with Calgary leading 2-0 at the time after goals from Matt Coronato and Yegor Sharangovich.

The Blueshirts had trouble recovering the puck and were a bit nonchalant when they did have possession, and the Flames torched them for it.

Whenever they broke up a Rangers breakaway, Calgary was quick to turn the puck over and send it the other way.

When the Flames doubled their score on their third straight power play of the night – after a bullet one-timer from Sharangovich – the Rangers challenged for a handpass prior to the goal.

It is doubtful that the officials considered the play a deflection and not a handpass. There was certainly frustration that came from the failed challenge, but the Rangers managed to stay in the game.

Just 16 seconds into the second period, the Rangers had tied the score.

After Alexis Lafreniere buried a rebound on a Jacob Trouba shot to cut the Flames’ lead in half, Will Cuylle deflected a K’Andre Miller shot to tie the game at two points and set up a third-period winner to make.

Despite the Rangers’ effective burst of energy and scoring, it quickly dissipated as Calgary was trapped in the final frame.

Connor Zary then attacked the net with Kaapo Kakko on his hip, before roofing the puck past Rangers goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin for the winning goal.

“They came at us hard,” Ryan Lindgren said. “We just didn’t do well, with and without the puck. They were shooting at everything. That’s frustrating. I just spent too much time in the ‘D’ zone. We talked about it after the first one and played a little better after that.”

The Rangers have had just four man-advantage opportunities in the last four games, a sign that the team hasn’t had nearly enough of the puck to take penalties.

They got just one Thursday night compared to the Flames’ five.

For a team that relies so heavily on power plays, the fact that the Rangers entered Thursday’s game with the fewest man-advantage opportunities of any NHL team is one of the most concerning parts of their 12-5-1 start.

“I don’t really think we’ve ever really reached our top game,” Trouba said. “I played pretty well on the road trip, one got away from us. Regroup, we still have a chance for a great road trip.