By Canadian Press

Calgary Flames down Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers 6-2

Nov 29, 2022 | 10:04 PM

CALGARY — Dillon Dube scored short-handed and had two assists for the Calgary Flames in a 6-2 win over the visiting Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

Rasmus Andersson, Jonathan Huberdeau, Tyler Toffoli and Andrew Mangiapane each had a goal and an assist, and Brett Ritchie also scored for the Flames (10-9-3), who improved to 5-4-1 in their last 10 games.

Calgary goaltender Dan Vladar made 30 saves for the win.

Nick Cousins and Sam Reinhart countered for the Panthers (10-9-4), who dropped to 3-4-3 in their last 10. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 17-of-23 shots in the loss.

Tuesday’s game marked the return of Matthew Tkachuk, a Calgary Flame for his first six NHL seasons, to the Saddledome after his summer trade to the Florida Panthers. 

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

Local History

Oliver's Funeral Home - 109 years of Service

Sep 04, 2024

Tkachuk, 24, was a restricted free agent who told the Flames he would not sign long-term with the team. 

He was booed Tuesday whenever he touched the puck, but the winger also received a partial standing ovation during a video tribute to him early in the first period.

The Flames got Huberdeau, defenceman MacKenzie Weegar, prospect Cole Schwindt and a conditional draft pick from Florida for Tkachuk.

After scoring three unanswered goals in the opening period, the host Flames led 4-2 heading into the third.

Mangiapane and Dube combined on a second goal on an odd-man rush with Mangiapane finishing it at 18:54.

Bobrovsky stopped Huberdeau on a breakaway with just under five minutes to play, but Huberdeau collected the loose puck to feed Toffoli for a one-time blast from the hash marks at 15:22.

Both goalies gave up soft goals in the second period. Reinhart’s low shot off the rush from the top of the faceoff circle beat Vladar’s outstretched glove at 16:55. 

Ritchie’s sharp-angled shot on a rebound tied up an out-of-position Bobrovsky at 15:29.

Trailing 3-0, the Panthers struck early in the second when Cousins redirected Gustav Forsling’s pass at 9:54. 

Andersson scored Calgary’s third goal at 13:03 of the opening period. When Bobrovsky gave up a long rebound, the Flames defenceman got inside position on Florida’s Aleksi Heponiemi to get a shot away.

Huberdeau got on his stick on a rebound during a goal-mouth scramble. The puck deflected off legs and sticks and found its way into the net for a power-play goal at 9:21.

Dube’s backhand redirect beat Bobrovsky on a two-on-one with Mangiapane for the short-handed goal at 3:05.

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2022.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press