Vladimir Tarasenko scores first 2 goals as a Panther, Florida beats Calgary 5-1
Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first two goals as a Panther and Florida beat the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Saturday.
Tarasenko, acquired by the Panthers from the Ottawa Senators in a trade Wednesday, scored his first by stealing Jonathan Huberdeau's pass with a long reach of his stick and firing the puck past Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom with a quick wrist shot 23 seconds into the second period. He celebrated with a jubilant one-knee fist pump.
“I'm not gonna lie, it's nice,” Tarasenko said. “It's a relief. It's nice to understand your linemates more, the system and how the team plays and I felt (more) comfortable as the game goes on and I'm not gonna lie, it feels nice.”
Tarasenko, who also had an assist, scored his second goal late in the second period.
“I think everyone knows how special of a player he is,” said Aleksander Barkov, who was assisted by Tarasenko on his second-period goal that gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
“He has been in the league for (13) years now and every year he's been one of the highest goal scorers. He makes plays, he scores goals, he has an unreal shot. So to have that type of guy on the ice is always dangerous and I like playing with him. So I'm trying to get the puck to him and trying to get open.”
Sam Bennett and Kevin Stenlund also scored for Florida while Anthony Stolarz made 34 saves.
The Panthers have won 17 of their past 20 games and have an NHL-leading 92 points, one more than the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks. The Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Saturday while Vancouver beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-0.
Yegor Sharangovich scored for the Flames and Markstrom made 26 saves.
TOO MANY TURNOVERS: BACKLUND
“I thought we turned the puck over too much,” Flames captain Mikael Backlund said. “They are a highly-skilled team and they are good on the transition. We kind of got away from our game in the second when we started turning pucks over.”
Defenseman Aaron Ekblad (672) passed current Flames forward Huberdeau (671) for second place in games played in Panthers franchise history.
Ekblad left the game with a leg injury after colliding with Tarasenko late in the first period and did not return.
Florida forward Evan Rodrigues left the game after blocking a slap shot with his ankle late in the second period and also did not return.
Coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on either player, stating that both need to be evaluated on Sunday. An update will be provided after the team practices on Monday.
Newly acquired Panthers forward Kyle Okposo did not play after getting traded to Florida from Buffalo on Friday.
UP NEXT
Flames: Play at Carolina on Sunday.
Panthers: At Dallas on Tuesday night.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.