Flames, Out: Panthers Score Quickly but Calgary Comes Back or Win

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers, and goalie Daniil Tarasov, certainly would like to have a do-over after sustaining their third straight home loss Friday, this time to the Calgary Flames.

Florida scored on its first two shots on goal to kick things off only to see Calgary score the next four goals and leave town with a 5-3 win over the Panthers.

A game after Sergei Bobrovsky gave up a couple soft goals against the Flyers, Tarasov did as well on Friday against a Flames team that did not go away despite falling behind early.

Evan Rodrigues and Sam Bennett scored to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead just 2:58 into the game and it looked like a rout was coming.

Only the Flames roared back, scoring two off point shots from Yan Kuznetsov (his first NHL goal) and MacKenzie Weegar (his first of the season) to even things up going into the second.

Calgary scored two more in the second and led 4-2 going into the third.

Brad Marchand gave the Panthers life at 4-3 with 8:06 remaining, scoring off a pass from Sam Reinhart.

But with Tarasov on the bench, Joel Farabee scored into an empty net with 63 seconds left to give the Flames their fourth win in the past five games.

The Panthers have lost three straight at home dating to last Saturday’s loss to the Oilers.

NOTEBOOK: FLAMES AT PANTHERS

• Reinhart had his seven-game scoring streak end Wednesday, but with two assists on Friday, has six goals and 15 points in his past nine games.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Panthers 1, Flames 0 (0:54 1st): Sam Reinhart snags a Jonathan Huberdeau turnover deep in the zone and quickly gets it to Evan Rodrigues who walks in on Devin Cooley.
• Panthers 2, Flames 0 (2:58 1st): A.J. Greer breaks out and makes a nice feed to Sam Bennett who dangles Cooley and scores on Florida’s second shot of the game.
• Panthers 2, Flames 1 (5:35 1st): Yan Kuznetsov comes into the Florida zone and floats a shot from the point that goes 5-hole on Daniil Tarasov.
• Flames 2, Panthers 2 (10:41 1st): MacKenzie Weegar one-times a pass from Mikael Backlund and Tarasov, playing without his stick, sees the shot from the point slip past. It’s the first goal of the season for the former Florida d-man.
• Flames 3, Panthers 2 (0:55 2nd 5/3): Rasmus Andersson’s initial shot is stopped, only Tarasov cannot handle it and Morgan Frost hops on it to give the Flames their first lead.
• Flames 4, Panthers 2 (18:44 3rd): Andersson sends a point shot that Nazem Kadri redirects.
• Flames 4, Panthers 3 (11:54 3rd): Brad Marchand comes in behind the play and scores from the high slot on a pass from Reinhart.
• Flames 5, Panthers 3 (18:57 3rd EN): Joel Farabee ices it for the Flames.

FHN’S 3 STARS

• 1. Devin Cooley, Flames
• 2. Nazem Kadri, Flames
• 3. Sam Reinhart, Panthers

ON DECK: GAME No. 24

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National Streaming: ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• 2025-26 Season Series — At Florida: Tuesday, Feb . 26. At Toronto: Jan. 6, April 11
• Last Regular Season: Panthers Won 3-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 51-40-7, 7 ties
• Last Postseason: Florida d. Toronto 4-3
• All-time Postseason (Panthers Lead 2-0): Panthers d. Toronto 4-1 (2023 ECS); Panthers d. Toronto 4-3 (2025 ECS)
• Up Next: Thursday vs. Nashville Predators, 7