The Gaudreau family was presented at centre ice for the ceremonial face-off ahead of the game. Fans started screaming Johnny's name, leaving a lasting impression on hockey fans around the world.
The Flames's 3-0 win over the Blue Jackets was the only shutout of the night. Rasmus Andersson (6) and Kevin Bahl (1) scored for the Flames, both on power plays, before Yegor Sharangovich (6) scored the third with an empty-netter, boosting the team's record to 13-9-4.
Avalanche vs. Sabres
The Colorado Avalanche improved to 14-12-0 after completing an astounding five-goal comeback against the Buffalo Sabres (11-12-2) to win 5-4.
The Sabres got out to a four-goal lead in the first period with two straight scores by Tage Thompson (13) followed by teammates JJ Peterka (8) and Beck Malenstyn (2). From there on, the Avs took control with five straight goals over the second and third periods.
Nathan MacKinnon (9) put a pair in net while Joel Kiviranta (5) and Logan O'Connor (3) also scored before teammate Artturi Lehkonen (5) put in the go-ahead with just under five minutes left in the game.
Canadiens vs. Islanders
Patrik Laine scored a goal in his season debut with the Montreal Canadiens, leading them to a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. Nick Suzuki (10) scored the game-winning goal for Montreal in overtime while Anders Lee (11) scored the lone goal for New York.
The Canadiens are still sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic division with a 9-13-3 record while the Islanders also remain at the bottom of the Metropolitan division with a 9-10-7 record.
Overtime thrillers
The Pittsburgh Penguins (11-12-4) extended their winning streak to four games after winning a 5-4 thriller over the Florida Panthers (15-9-2) in overtime after overcoming a three-goal deficit.
Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins (13-11-3) overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings (10-11-4) by a score of 3-2 for their second straight win.
Minnesota wins a "wild" one to stay hot as they win their fourth straight with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks, improving to the league's best 17-4-4 record.
Around the league
The San Jose Sharks upset the red-hot Washington Capitals 2-1 while The Seattle Kraken scored two goals in the third period to best the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 4-2. The St. Louis Blue beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-1, marking their fourth straight loss.