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Bouwmeester pushes Panthers past Flames

Sep 24, 2008 - 4:38 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester scored with 3:27 remaining in the third period to snap a tie and lead the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday in the preseason opener for both teams.

Signed to a one-year, $4.875 million contract in July, Bouwmeester beat goaltender Curtis McElhinney with a backhander late in the third to snap a 2-2 deadlock. Rostislav Olesz had forged the tie at 10:14 of the third after the Panthers squandered a 1-0 lead.

David Booth opened the scoring 79 seconds into the middle period, but Dustin Boyd pulled Calgary even at 13:02. Captain Jarome Iginla, a finalist for the Hart Trophy last season, put the Flames in front with 45 seconds to go in the session with a power-play goal.

Craig Anderson played the entire game for the Panthers, turning aside 24 shots - including all 10 he faced in the third period.

Boyd added an assist and McElhinney made 22 saves for Calgary.

Newcomer Todd Bertuzzi, who inked a one-year, $1.95 million free-agent deal with the Flames during the offseason, finished with a minus-two rating.