Flames 6, Panthers 0
CALGARY, Alberta -- Left winger Sam Bennett became the youngest Calgary Flames player in franchise history to record a hat trick.
And the 19-year-old rookie added his fourth goal of the night with 24.2 seconds left in the third period for good measure.
Bennett, who also plays center, had three of his goals in the first period of a convincing 6-0 win over the Florida Panthers at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.
After going through an 18-game goalless drought, Bennett now has five goals in his past two games to give him 10 on the season.
Right winger Johnny Gaudreau and Mason Raymond also scored for the Flames (20-20-2), while defenseman Dougie Hamilton had two assists to give him 100 points in his 4th NHL season. Right winger Jiri Hudler also chipped in with two assists.
Making his first start since Dec. 12 -- a span of 12 games -- Flames goaltender Jonas Hiller only had to make 15 saves to record his first shutout of the season and 23nd of his career.
Hiller stood his ground to stop a shot from in close by Panthers right winger Reilly Smith with two minutes left to play in regulation.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo stopped 11 of 15 shots he faced in the first period before being replaced in net by Al Montoya, who went on to make 19 of 21 saves.
After reeling off 12 straight wins, the Panthers (26-13-5) have now dropped two straight decisions, although they earned a point after a 3-2 overtime loss in Vancouver to the Canucks on Monday. They will wrap up their six game road trip on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Bennett opened the scoring 56 seconds into the game when he one-timed a nice backhand pass from right winger Jiri Hudler over Luongo's blocker and into the top corner.
Gaudreau then put the Flames up 2-0 at 5:52 of the first. Gaudreau was actually trying to feed the puck over to Bennett, but Panthers left winger Jonathan Huberdeau got his stick in the way of the pass. Unfortunately for Huberdeau the puck bounced right back to Gaudreau who had an easy tap-in for his 19th goal of the season.
Bennett completed his first-period hat trick with goals at 12:01, when he dragged the puck toward the net and through Luongo's legs, and exactly five minutes later, when he backhanded a rebound into the top corner.
Raymond redirected a pass from right winger David Jones past Montoya for the lone goal of the second period to give the Flames a 5-0 lead.
NOTES: While Flames RW Jiri Hudler made his return to action after missing the past three games with a lower-body injury, LW Lance Bouma sat out with a leg injury he sustained in Calgary's 5-3 loss to San Jose at the Saddledome on Tuesday. ... Flames LW Mason Raymond returned to Calgary's lineup. C Joe Colborne and D Ladislav Smid were scratched. ... LW Michael Frolik, who has been out with an upper-body injury for the past 11 games, has been skating with the Flames and could return as early as Saturday in Edmonton against the Oilers. ... Panthers D Aaron Ekblad missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury and C Dave Bolland sat out his 14th straight game with a lower-body ailment. ... C Quinton Howden was also scratched for the Panthers. ... With Panthers coach Gerard Gallant away attending his mother's funeral, assistant Mike Kelly filled in behind the Florida bench.