Gaudreau scores 200th NHL goal, Flames defeat Coyotes

CALGARY -- Johnny Gaudreau scored his 30th goal of the season and 200th in the NHL, helping the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.

Gaudreau had two assists, and Matthew Tkachuk scored his 30th goal of the season for the Flames (39-17-8). Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves.
"We've got a lot of offense on our team," Gaudreau said. "Up and down our lineup, we've got a lot of smart players on our team this year. It's been a lot of fun to be a part of and to watch."
Michael Carcone and Vladislav Kolyachonok each scored his first NHL goal, and Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves for the Coyotes (20-40-4), who have lost four in a row and five of seven since a season-high four-game winning streak.
"The way we battled and the pride our players showed and the competitiveness throughout 60 minutes, I'm proud of them," Arizona coach Andre Tourigny said. "I'm happy about the way we played. I think the other side, they needed to raise their game after the first period to beat us and they did. Credit to them. They're a good team. I have no problem with the way we played."
Tkachuk scored 33 seconds into the second period to put Calgary up 1-0. He took a pass from Gaudreau and shot past Vejmelka's glove.
"It is nice (to score 30)," Tkachuk said, "but I think both of us have done it before so I think we come in each year with, not personal goals like goals and assists or that stuff ... you just want to keep getting better each year, so hopefully we just continue to play better and help the team offensively, defensively, all the way around."

Elias Lindholm made it 2-0 at 3:35 with his 32nd goal of the season when he finished a three-way passing play with Tkachuk and Gaudreau on the power play.
Gaudreau extended the lead to 3-0 at 8:14 when he shot over Vejmelka's blocker on a 2-on-0. He is the 10th player to score 200 goals for the Flames. He has played 584 NHL games.
"I was just excited I scored," Gaudreau said. "Obviously it made it a 3-0 lead there. Obviously a lot of excitement, but it's just another goal for me."
Carcone cut it to 3-1 at 19:48 with a shot from the right circle off a Calgary giveaway. The goal came in his fourth NHL game, all this season. He has played 333 American Hockey League games in six seasons.
"It's been an adventure," Carcone said. "It keeps you on your toes and keeps you wanting it. I've enjoyed the experience, and still enjoying the experience, and I'm going to continue to enjoy the experience."

Rasmus Andersson pushed the lead to 4-1 at 5:21 of the third period when he skated through the defense and deked Vejmelka for a power-play goal.
Andersson had a goal disallowed at 12:10 because he batted the puck in with his glove.
Kolyachonok cut it to 4-2 at 18:07 on a one-timer from the slot for his first goal in his 18th NHL game.
"'Koly's' been with us a few weeks," Tourigny said. "He's got a good shot. He's not an offensive defenseman by any means, but he can jump in the play and he had a good shot on net on that one."
Arizona forward Phil Kessel played his 964th consecutive regular-season game to tie Doug Jarvis for the second-longest streak in NHL history. Kessel trails only Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle, who played his 987th consecutive game Friday against the Colorado Avalanche. Yandle passed Jarvis on Jan. 25.
NOTES: Andrew Mangiapane also has scored 30 goals this season for the Flames, who have four-30 goal-scorers for the first time since 1993-94 (Gary Roberts, 41; Theo Fleury, 40; Robert Reichel, 40; Joe Nieuwendyk, 36). ... Calgary center Sean Monahan was a healthy scratch. ... With his assist on Lindholm's goal, Tkachuk set an NHL career-high with 78 points (30 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games. ... Coyotes forward Jay Beagle had two hits and two blocked shots in 14:10 of ice time after missing 36 games because of a lower-body injury. He had surgery Jan. 6.