Tarasenko Scores Twice, Panthers Put Five Past Flames

SUNRISE — New Panther Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assists on Saturday in the Panthers 5-1 win over the Calgary 

 

The Panthers, who dropped Thursday night’s game against Philadelphia, bounced back to prevent their first consecutive losses at home since January. 

 

Anthony Stolarz had 34 saves in his 13th win of the season. The Panthers remain the top team in the NHL with a 44-17-4 record.

 

Here’s Saturday’s takeaways.

 

Panthers lose two players to injury

While the final score and overall game effort was positive for the Panthers, they did lose two players to injury before the final buzzer. 

 

Defenseman Aaron Ekblad left Saturday afternoon’s game in the first period after a center ice collision with his teammate, Vladimir Tarasenko.

 

Ekblad immediately skated to the Panthers bench and went down the tunnel, after his left leg collided with Tarasenko’s. 

 

Ekblad was able to get off on his own wait when he headed back to the bench. He took his last shift with 4:41 to go in the period. 

 

With 36 seconds remaining in the second period, the Panthers then lost a second skater to injury. 

 

Forward Evan Rodrigues blocked a slapshot right above the skate on his left leg.

 

Rodrigues fell to the ice and was visibly in pain. He had to be assisted by a trainer back to the locker room.

 

Neither Ekblad nor Rodrigues returned to the game.

 

Head coach Paul Maurice said that updates on both players would come Monday, but after a few more questions regarding Ekblad’s health, he gave a bit of a more assuring update. 

 

“He’s gonna be ok. I don’t know when he’s coming back. It might be practice monday, maybe a little bit longer,” Maurice said. “I’ll give you a real good answer Monday.”

 

These injuries come just one day after the NHL trade deadline. 

 

Welcome to the Tarasenkshow Sunrise 

In his second game with the Panthers, the spotlight was on Vladimir Tarasenko. 

 

Tarasenko had three points on the afternoon — scoring two goals and an assist in the second period.

 

23 seconds into the second, Tarsenko intercepted a pass from former Panther Jonathan Huberdeau and beat another former Panther, Jakob Markstrom, with a snap shot blocker side — giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead. 

 

He scored again with 5:05 left in the period, beating Markstrom from the top of the circle — this time glove side. 

 

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s nice, kind of a relief (to score early during his Panthers tenure),” Tarasenko said. “I feel like I fel comfortable as the game goes on.”

 

Tarasenko also had the secondary assist on Florida’s second goal of the game, scored by Aleksander Barkov.  

 

He was acquired on Wednesday in a trade from Ottawa.

 

Five-goal middle frame

The first two periods of Thursday’s game couldn’t have been more opposite. 

 

After 20 minutes of play, both teams were scoreless — with a combined 18 shots on goal.

 

The second period looked as if two different teams were playing. 

 

“We weren’t really excited about our start,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “We needed to get physical and Vlad’s (Tarasenko) got the first hit in there and that kind of started things for us.”

 

There were five total goals in the second — four coming from the Panthers and just one for the flames.

 

“We were better in the second period,” Maurice added. “I mean our goaltender was fantastic tonight.”

 

Tarasenko scored twice for the Panthers. Barkov and Bennett also had a goal before the period was over.

Yegor Shrangovich had the lone Flames goal, which came seven seconds into their second  power play. 

 

Panthers Notes

Kevin Stenlund scored the fifth Panthers goal, shorthanded

 

Gustav Forsling had two assists and was a +3 

 

The Panthers will next play March 12th in Dallas against the Stars

 

Florida won’t play another home game until March 16th against the Tampa Bay Lightning