CALGARY, Alberta (AP) – Mike Matheson scored twice, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and two assists, and the Florida Panthers beat the Calgary Flames 6-3 Saturday night.
Roberto Luongo stopped 30 shots in his first appearance since a groin injury on Dec. 4, and picked up his first win since Nov. 27.
Evgenii Dadonov and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist, and Jared McCann also scored to help the Panthers get their fifth straight road win. Florida has won six of its last eight overall to pull six points behind the New York Islanders for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, left, blocks the net as Calgary Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau works with the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Dougie Hamilton scored three goals for his first career hat trick for the Flames, who are 0-3-3 in their last six at home. David Rittich started and gave up four goals on 15 shots before he was pulled early in the second period. Jon Gillies came on and stopped 13 of the 15 shots he faced.
Tied 1-1 after the first period, Florida blew the game open in the second with three goals in the opening 6:03.
Trocheck completed a nifty give-and-go with Barkov by slipping a shot past Rittich at 58 seconds to put Florida ahead. With Barkov providing the screen, Dadonov deflected Keith Yandle’s shot past Rittich at 3:09 to make it 3-1. Barkov then gave the Panthers a three-goal lead as he redirected Dadonov’ shot between Rittich’s shot. Gillies came on after that.
Calgary pulled to 4-2 with 7:45 left in the second on Hamilton’s second power-play goal of the night.
Matheson got his second of the game at 3:41 of the third, and McCann made it 6-2 just more than two minutes later.
Hamilton capped the scoring with 8:05 left when he banked in a shot from the corner off the leg of Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
NOTES: It was Rittich’s first start at home. His previous nine starts all came on the road. … Injured starting goalie Mike Smith (lower body) skated before the Flames’ game-day skate Saturday morning, but didn’t face any shots. His status remains day-to-day. … Hamilton played in his 400th NHL game. … Flames F Johnny Gaudreau snapped an eight-game scoring streak (four goals, seven assists). … Ekblad extended his point-streak to six games (three goals, five assists).
UP NEXT
Panthers: At Winnipeg on Sunday night.
Flames: Host Boston on Monday.
Florida Panthers’ Evgenii Dadonov, center, of Russia, celebrates his goal with teammates Jonathan Huberdeau, left, and Aleksander Barkov, of Finland, during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers’ Colton Sceviour, left, and Calgary Flames’ Mark Giordano fight for position during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers’ Michael Matheson, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Jonathan Huberdeau during first-period NHL hockey action against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers’ Evgenii Dadonov, left, of Russia, checks Calgary Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames’ Dougie Hamilton, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Sean Monahan during first-period NHL hockey game action against the Florida Panthers in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames goalie David Rittich, from the Czech Republic, reacts after letting in a goal by the Florida Panthers during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov, left, of Finland, looks on as Calgary Flames goalie David Rittich, from the Czech Republic, grabs for the puck during first-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, right, and Calgary Flames’ Garnet Hathaway watch the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov, top, of Finland, celebrates a Panthers goal as he skates behind Calgary Flames goalie Jon Gillies during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
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