CALGARY, Alberta (AP) Mikael Backlund scored a tiebreaking short-handed goal early in the third period, Jacob Markstrom stopped 34 shots, and the Calgary Flames beat the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Monday night.
Martin Pospisil and Blake Coleman also scored to help Calgary improve to 2-0-2 in their last four games.
Sam Reinhart had a power-play goal for Florida, and Anthony Stolarz had 21 saves. The Panthers finished a five-game trip at 2-3-0.
Tied 1-1 in the third, the Flames' dangerous penalty kill came through shortly after failing to connect on a power play. Attempting to enter the Flames zone, Reinhart turned the puck over to Noah Hanifin, who sprung Backlund on a breakaway. With Reinhart chasing him, Backlund went to his backhand and lifted a high shot, glove-side over Stolarz at 3:31 for his seventh goal of the season.
āHanny made a really good read, really good play, and then I saw a chance to go and he made a really nice pass and I took off,ā Backlund said. āTight game, you get to score the 2-1 goal, it always feels really good.ā
Reinhart said the turnover was a mistake that canāt happen.
āOur power playās got to be better. Iāve got to be better coming through the neutral zone,ā he said. āItās unfortunate with the way it happened. Itās a tight one and a lot of times itās a turnover, itās a mistake like that and the other team capitalizes.ā
Florida got a great chance to tie it with 2:13 left when Backlund was sent off for delay of game after flipping the puck into the crowd. But on the power play and with the goalie pulled, Coleman jumped on a loose puck and took off on a breakaway and was hauled down by Brandon Montour from behind. He was awarded a short-handed goal.
Calgaryās eight short-handed goals on the season ties them for first with St. Louis.
āWeāve got some players who can skate well and if thereās a chance, we talk about we donāt cheat for chances, but if the play is there, we go for it,ā said Backlund. āIf we can find a way to score some big goals, thatās big for the team.ā
Itās been a bright spot for a team that ranks near the bottom of the league on the power play with 11 goals - ahead of only Philadelphia (10), Washington (8) and St. Louis (8). In the last six weeks dating back to Nov. 7, Calgary has more short-handed goals (6) than power-play goals (4).
Calgary finished 0-for-5 on the power play on the night to drop to 1-for-19 in their last eight games.
Markstrom was solid in his return from a seven-game absence due to a fractured finger. He moved to 6-2-1 in his last nine starts and 7-8-2 on the season.
His 11 third period saves included a flurry down the stretch as the Panthers pressed.
āWhen heās fresh, heās really good, and I feel like heās been that way for almost every game heās played for us this year,ā Flames coach Adam Huska said. āHeās a fighter. I think when a gameās on the line like that, thatās when he plays his best.ā
Calgary struck first at 8:45 of the first period as Nazem Kadriās backhand outlet pass found Pospisil skating through the neutral zone. As he broke down the right side with Kevin Stenlund in close pursuit, Pospisil flung a rising backhand on net that slipped past Stolarz.
Florida tied it with 31 seconds left in the opening period as Matthew Tkachuk deflected Aleksander Barkovās point shot on net. While Markstrom got his pad on the redirection, the rebound popped out to Reinhart who buried his team-leading 18th goal of the season.
Reinhart has five goals and nine assists in his last 11 games.
Jonathan Huberdeau was held off the scoresheet again, extending his career-worst stretch without a point to nine games. He has four goals and 11 assists in 32 games.
Panthers defenseman Dimitry Kulikov played in his 900th career game.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host St. Louis on Thursday night to open a two-game homestand.
Flames: At Anaheim on Thursday night to open a two-game trip.
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