Calgary Flames goaltender Cam Talbot (39) makes a save against the Florida Panthers during the third period at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on March 1, 2020.Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Cam Talbot made 37 saves and captain Mark Giordano had three assists in his third game back from an injury absence, leading the Calgary Flames to a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon.
The loss was the seventh in a row at home for Florida, eclipsing a franchise record set in 1998.
Johnny Gaudreau collected a goal and an assist and Milan Lucic and defenceman T.J. Brodie also tallied for Calgary, which concluded a five-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record.
It was Talbot’s second shutout of the season and his first since his 44-save performance in a 6-0 romp over the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 13.
Giordano, the reigning Norris Trophy recipient as the NHL’s best defenceman, earned his first points since Feb. 4. He then missed the next 10 straight games owing to a hamstring injury before returning on Thursday.
Florida’s Sam Montembeault made 24 saves in the loss. Panthers forward Mike Hoffman, who leads the team with 27 goals, saw his five-game goal streak come to a halt.
Calgary opened the scoring on a power-play goal at 6 minutes 21 seconds into the first period.
Already down a man when Brett Connolly was whistled for tripping Elias Lindholm, the Panthers got more bad news when Lucas Wallmark lost his stick. That left Gaudreau virtually unchecked as he skated in and blasted a shot from the left circle that sailed past Montembeault.
With 12:17 expired in the first period, Gaudreau was awarded a penalty shot after he was hooked from behind by Panthers defenceman MacKenzie Weegar. However, Gaudreau’s penalty shot was stuffed by Montembeault.
The Flames made it 2-0 on Lucic’s goal with 3:10 elapsed in the second. After a Montembeault save, the puck ended up behind Florida’s net. Derek Ryan beat three Panthers to the puck and then flipped a pass to Lucic near the blue paint for the goal.
Calgary extended its lead to 3-0 just 69 seconds into the third on Brodie’s long shot from the high slot.
Flames centre Elias Lindholm recorded his 200th career assist on the goal by Gaudreau.
The Flames’ next game is at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.
With files from The Associated Press