Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Panthers Outduel Flames

     The Florida Panthers outscored the Calgary Flames 6-2 on Tuesday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers set a franchise record with 20 goals in a three-game stretch. 
     The Panthers completed a four-game sweep of their homestand and have an 18-3-0 home record. It was the first time both clubs met since March 1, 2020 in Sunrise.
     Florida(22-7-4) moved out to a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at the 5:58 mark. Aaron Ekblad passed from the top of zone to Jonathan Huberdeau above the left circle. He forwarded the puck to Patric Hornqvist to the left of the crease and his second-chance forehand shot went by Jacob Markstrom for his fifth goal of the campaign. 
     Calgary(17-8-6) answered back at 7:03 to tie it 1-1. Oliver Kylington cleared in out and Matthew Tkachuk one-timed a pass from his own zone. Johnny Gaudreau split the defense at the center-ice circle, skated in alone and snapped a shot from the slot area for his 14th goal of the season. Gaudreau now has a road point streak of nine games. 
     The Flames made it 2-1 with 9:56 left in the first. Blake Coleman pushed the puck from the right corner to Mikael Backlund on the end wall and he returned it. Coleman skated around the Florida cage and lifted an acute-angle shot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth goal with his new team. 
     The Panthers responded with a tally with 6:59 to go. Anton Lundell got to a loose puck in the right center and passed it back to the right point. Brandon Montour sent a cross-ice pass and Gustav Forsling released a wrist shot from the above the left circle. Anthony Duclair redirected it in from the top of the crease for his 13th goal this season. 
     The Cats found the net again with the man advantage for a 3-2 lead with 1:09 remaining in the first. Carter Verhaeghe cycled the puck from the right wing. Montour fired a forehand shot from the blue line and it was deflected in by Joe Thornton in the crease for his fourth goal with the Panthers. Thornton passed Larry Murphy for 20th all-time in NHL history with 547 power-play points. 
     There would be no scoring in the second until 16.7 seconds left in the period. Florida extended it to 4-2 when Ryan Lomberg skated down the right side and scored his third goal of the season on a snap shot from the low right circle. Lomberg burned his former team and has a three-game point streak. 
     It became 5-2 for the Panthers at the 5:47 mark of the third period as Hornqvist collected his second goal of the contest. He stopped an outlet pass on the right point, brought it to the high right circle and ripped a wrist shot. 
     Florida expanded it to 6-2 with 6:56 left. Lundell guided the puck from the right circle. Verhaeghe tipped the puck in the left circle and Lucas Carlsson scored on a snap shot from the high left circle for his second goal this season. Lundell now has a four-game point streak with the secondary assist.
     Bobrrosky set a career-record as he made 47 saves which is his most saves in a regulation game. He has a 14-1-0 record at home this season. 

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