Rittich earns a shutout, Flames blank Canucks 3-0

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — David Rittich made 34 saves and Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and two assists as the Calgary Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on Saturday night.

Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan scored for Calgary. Gaudreau had an empty-net goal and posted his second multi-point game of the season.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 of 29 shots in the loss for Vancouver, which has lost its first two games.

Calgary improved to 8-8-3 in home-openers since the turn of the century.

The Flames outshot the Canucks 14-5 in the second period and led 2-0 heading into the third.

Vancouver failed to convert a pair of third-period power plays. The first included 61 seconds of 5-on-3, but Rittich stopped three shots in that span and made 18 saves in the period.

Monahan collected his second goal in as many games, scoring from the slot at 1:10 of the second on a feed from Gaudreau behind the goal-line.

Lindholm opened the scoring at 13:50 of the first.

Myers misplayed a cross-ice pass in Calgary’s zone onto the stick of Lindholm, who whipped the puck under Markstrom’s arm.

Both teams opened their seasons with road losses Thursday.

NOTES: Canucks veteran forward Loui Eriksson was a healthy scratch to make way for 23-year-old Adam Gaudette. … The Flames, celebrating their 40th season in Calgary, wore retro jerseys. … The Canucks have several events planned to commemorate their 50th season, including February’s retirement of the numbers worn by siblings Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

UP NEXT

Flames: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

Canucks: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday in their home opener.