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Andersson sparks Calgary Flames to 3-1 pre-season win over Winnipeg Jets

Oct 8, 2021 | 9:52 PM

CALGARY — Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson assisted on all three Calgary goals in a 3-1 pre-season win over the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

Andrew Mangiapane and Sean Monahan scored power-play goals in the first period and Elias Lindholm scored even-strength in the third for the Flames, who capped their pre-season with a 3-4-1 record.

Johnny Gaudreau had two assists.

Defenceman Logan Stanley replied for the Jets, who are 2-3-1 in the pre-season and winless on the road.

Both sides started their aces in net in their pre-season finales. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for the win.

The Swede stopped Winnipeg’s Pierre-Luc Dubois on a breakaway and caged a Paul Stastny backhand shot during a goal-mouth scramble in the second period.

Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots in the loss.

The Jets open the regular season Wednesday in Anaheim versus the Ducks. The Flames also open on the road against the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 16.

Matthew Tkachuk led the Flames in pre-season offence with three goals and four assists in eight games. 

Jansen Harkins had two goals and three assists in six games to top the Jets in pre-season production.

Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers was the first member of the Jets named to an Olympic roster when Denmark announced their first three Beijing-bound players Friday. 

The Danes will play in the Olympic men’s hockey tournament for the first time.

The Flames held Winnipeg scoreless on four power-play chances while going 2 for 4 with a man advantage Friday

After a goal-free second period, Stanley halved the deficit at 7:30 of the third with a low shot from the face-off circle that beat Markstrom’s pad.

Lindholm restored Calgary’s two-goal cushion less than two minutes later, however, on a cross-ice feed from Gaudreau. 

Hellebuyck got a piece of Lindholm’s shot, but not enough to prevent the goal.

The hosts led 2-0 on Monahan’s tap-in, power-play goal at 13:04 of the first period off a pass from Lindholm.

Mangiapane scored a power-play goal 40 seconds after the opening faceoff when Neal Pionk was serving a tripping penalty.  

He chipped the puck over Hellebuyck”s stick from close range on a feed from Gaudreau.

The Flames were without newcomer Blake Coleman on Friday. 

The winger was suspended for the final pre-season game and the regular-season opener for boarding Harkins on Wednesday in Winnipeg.

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2021.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

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