Flamed Out: Calgary Flames 3, Florida Panthers 1

The Florida Panthers did a lot of things right on Monday night but a couple key turnovers were enough for the Calgary Flames.

Calgary, coming off a home win against Tampa Bay, turned a pair of turnovers into breakaway goals and Jacob Markstrom did the rest in a 3-1 victory.

The Panthers now come home after going 2-3-0 on their longest road trip of the season.

In a game featuring a batch of players going against their former team, it was Markstrom who was the star.

Markstrom, selected with the first pick of the second round at the 2008 draft in Montreal by the Panthers, kept his Flames in it until they got the lead back early in the third — and then slammed the door shut.

The Flames are now 3-0 since the blockbuster trade last summer when Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar went to Calgary for Matthew Tkachuk.

Calgary took the initial lead when Martin Pospisil was sprung on a breakaway, drove in on Anthony Stolarz and put a soft backhanded shot through at 8:45 of the first.

Florida did tie it late in the first as Sam Reinhart jabbed at a Tkachuk rebound in front of the net.

The Panthers controlled the pace in the second period but could not put anything past Markstrom.

Mikael Backlund gave Calgary the lead at 3:31 of the third on a shorthanded chance, picking off a turnover and driving in and scoring off a backhanded shot.

With the net empty, the Panthers got a delay of game power play with 2:23 left — but Blake Coleman ended up with the shorthanded goal to close this one out.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Flames 1, Panthers 0 (8:45, 1st): Martin Pospisil breaks free, drives in on Anthony Stolarz and beats him with a backhanded shot.
• Panthers 1, Flames 1 (19:29, 1st PP): Sam Reinhart scores at the very end of a power play chance as he pops in a loose puck with Matthew Tkachuk working the real estate in front of the net.
• Flames 2, Panthers 1 (3:31, 3rd SH): A turnover from Sasha Barkov and Reinhart leads to a Mikael Backlund breakaway — and another backhanded shot.
• Flames 3, Panthers 1 (18:24, 3rd EN-SH): Blake Coleman was pulled down by Brandon Montour and gets credit for the final goal of the night.

GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jacob Markstrom (34 saves), Calgary

2. Mikael Backlund (GWG), Calgary

3. Sam Reinhart (goal), Florida

ON DECK

ST. LOUIS BLUES @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• This Season — At Florida: Thursday. At St. Louis: Jan. 9.
• Last Season: Blues won 2-0
  
• All-time Regular Season Series: St. Louis leads 26-12-1, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Vegas, 3 p.m.