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Jagr, Jankowski score milestone goals in Flames’ victory



Between the two of them, Jaromir Jagr and Mark Jankowski have 767 National Hockey League goals.

Jagr, after scoring his first goal with the Calgary Flames in Thursday’s 6-3 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings, has 766 of them.

Jankowski, the Flames’ five-year project and emerging young star, has the other.

After scoring, one player was grinning on the bench like it was Christmas morning, especially after hearing the Scotiabank Saddledome erupt like it did.

The other, understandably, acted like he’s one of the most prolific scorers in the game and that he’s done it a few hundred times before.

Let’s start with the 23-year-old who has received the least headlines of the two and, arguably, has received most of his attention in these parts for all the wrong reasons.

Jankowski’s marker — at 9:15 of the first period to put the Flames on the scoresheet — came from his own confident rush up the middle of the ice and a perfectly timed handoff to his linemate Jagr.

Jagr, like he’s done over 5,600 times in his career, took a shot on net, and Jankowski, in the right place at the right time, had the rebound hit off his right thigh.

Not exactly a highlight reel goal, but, hey, the big centreman will gladly take the puck and keep it for his collection.

And let’s be honest, deep down, Petr Mrazek, the Red Wings Czech goalie, probably wasn’t all that upset over Jagr scoring like he did — a two-on-one with Johnny Gaudreau and only defenceman Jonathan Ericsson to defend.

Speaking of Gaudreau, the slippery 24-year-old left winger had a heckuva night with a goal in the first period to give the Flames a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes and an assist on Jagr’s goal in the second. He was a headache for the Red Wings defenders and Mrazek all night and, fittingly, scored the empty-netter to seal the deal.

Early on — especially after the Red Wings came out and had four shots on Mike Smith within the first two minutes — Gaudreau made an incredible play in the neutral zone, cruised into the Wings offensive zone unmanned and sent a shot at Mrazek.

Shortly after, Mrazek robbed Gaudreau with an excellent glove save on the Flames’ only powerplay of the first period.

It continued.

Although he couldn’t connect on a breakaway after Sean Monahan hit him with a head-man pass in the neutral zone, he was relentless on the puck — especially on a one-on-one battle to strip Nick Jensen behind the Wings net.

Yes, the game was fairly sloppy from a defensive perspective, and Flames goalie Smith faced 41 Wings shots.

But the Flames battled. And Smith was sharp.

Playing his first game this season and second NHL game ever, Rasmus Andersson showed confidence. Five minutes into the first period, he jumped into the play and called for a pass from Michael Frolik. Right idea, but he missed the net completely. Later on, he had another excellent chance in front of Mrazek.

They also had some continued production and support from their first two lines.

Micheal Ferland gave the Flames a 3-0 lead in the second period while Tkachuk scored to put the Flames up 4-1 following Martin Frk’s power-play marker and excellent set-up by Anthony Mantha.

Tkachuk’s goal was challenged for goalie interference when he planted himself in front of Mrazek and tipped Brett Kulak’s point shot.

Still, even after the goal was allowed, the Red Wings continued to test the Flames defence in the second period.

Frans Nielsen, with 4:11 remaining, and Mantha, with 3.3 seconds left, had the other Detroit markers.

Perfect? No.

Entertaining? Yes.

The Flames (9-7-0) have collected eight of a possible 12 points and wrap up their seven-game homestand on Monday against the St. Louis Blues (7 p.m., Sportsnet West, Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

kodland@postmedia.com

Twitter/Kristen_Odland



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