@Johnny Gaudreau and @Blake Coleman scored back-to-back goals within minutes of each other to give the Calgary Flames a 2–1 lead over the Florida Panthers in the first period of Tuesday’s game.
Just 1:05 after @Patric Hornqvist opened the scoring for the Panthers, Gaudreau took a breakaway pass from linemate @Matthew Tkachuk and successfully managed to split the defence.
The 28-year-old forward skated into the offensive zone all alone and fired a wrister that soared into the net over the shoulder of Panthers goaltender @Sergei Bobrovsky. Tkachuk and @Oliver Kylington picked up the helpers on Gaudreau’s 14th goal of the season.
Johnny with speed! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uyUL6zkVQf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 5, 2022
The Flames managed to seize their first lead of the hockey game just over three minutes later. This time, however, they managed to get a goal from one of their lower forward lines.
After a broken entry into the offensive zone, the Flames went to work below the Panthers’ goal line. @Mikael Backlund managed to free the puck for himself and poked a short pass over to linemate @Blake Coleman, who brought the puck up to the side of the net and managed to bank it off Bobrovsky and in.
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Coleman’s goal broke a six-game drought and put the Flames up 2–1. Backlund picked up the lone assist on Coleman’s fifth goal of the season.
Blake Coleman is feeling it tonight. pic.twitter.com/WXluc15p24
— Mike Gould (@miketgould) January 5, 2022
Panthers defenceman @Gustav Forsling scored at the 13:01 mark of the first period to restore the tie. Calgary trails Florida by a 3–2 score in the dying minutes of the opening frame.