CALGARY, Alberta -- Rookie center Sam Bennett scored his first NHL goal, and goalie Jonas Hiller made 23 saves as the Calgary Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in the teams' first-round Western Conference playoff series.

The Flames can take a stranglehold on the best-of-seven set with a win in Game 4 on Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Game 5 is back in Vancouver on Thursday night.

Left winger Brandon Bollig, defenseman T.J. Brodie and center Sean Monahan also scored for the Flames, while the Canucks got their goals from center Shawn Matthias and right winger Jannik Hansen in what is so far a bitter series between the Canadian rivals.

Bennett sent the sellout crowd into a frenzy by jamming home a the loose puck in the crease at 2:14 of the third period, giving the Flames a 3-1 lead. The fans gave Bennett a standing ovation, and linemate Mikael Backlund retrieved the puck for him.

At 18 years, 303 days old, Bennett is the second-youngest player to score an NHL playoff goal. The youngest is longtime Flames captain Jarome Iginla, who debuted for the team in 1996.

The 2014 first-round draft pick (fourth overall) played just one game in the regular season -- the finale against the Winnipeg Jets -- but was inserted into the lineup for the postseason, and he responded by driving hard to the net through the first three games of the series.

The Canucks were not impressed with the rookie's exploits, and they tried pounding him physically. In the second period, defenseman Yannick Weber leveled the 18-year-old with an open-ice hit.

With less than six minutes left in the third period, Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis hit Bennett hard in the head with his shoulder as the rookie was coming around the net. Hamhuis was penalized for the hit, and the Flames quickly capitalized as Monahan scored on a five-on-three power play.

Just as in Game 2, the final minutes featured several fights, but this time it was the Canucks instigating the rough stuff. Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa went after Flames winger Michael Ferland -- a thorn in the Canucks' side all series -- in the final minute as tempers flared.

In front of a jam-packed, enthusiastic crowd, 99 percent of which wore red Flames jerseys, the home team got on the board first, and it was an unlikely source for offense.

The fourth line hemmed the Canucks in their own zone, and then left winger Mason Raymond -- a scratch for Games 1 and 2 -- found Bollig in the slot. Bollig rifled a shot glove side on Vancouver goalie Eddie Lack to make it 1-0. Bollig had just one goal in 62 previous playoff games.

Less than three minutes later, the visitors swarmed the Calgary goal, getting several whacks at the puck before Matthias hammered it home to tie the game at 1-1.

Brodie put the Flames up again, this time on a long blast from the point at 15:02 of the first period. Brodie managed to get it through traffic, and it eluded Lack because Bennett provided a great screen.

After Bennett boosted the lead to 3-1 and Monahan made it 4-1, the Canucks got their second of the night with 2:19 left. Hansen ripped a shot over Hiller's shoulder on a great feed from center Bo Horvat.

Hiller and Lack each finished with 23 saves.

NOTES: The NHL handed Flames coach Bob Hartley a $50,000 fine for his role in a line brawl with 1:17 left in Game 2 at Vancouver. With Calgary down 4-1, Flames D Deryk Engelland tangled with Canucks RW Derek Dorsett and D Dan Hamhuis at the same time during the melee. On Sunday, Flames GM Brad Treliving reacted to the fine, saying he supported the NHL's decision but questioned why his team was singled out. ... Canucks prospects Mackenzie Stewart and Jake Virtanen took in the morning skate at the Saddledome. Virtanen has helped his WHL team, the Calgary Hitmen, reach the third round of the playoffs. ... Sunday's g