his 300th career assist on a goal by teammate Sam Bennett in a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Gaudreau again lead the Flames in goals (19) and assists (30) during the regular season. The Flames did not qualify for the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, coming four points short of the Montreal Canadiens for the final berth in the North Division. 2021–22 The NHL's divisions and format returned to their pre-pandemic norms for the 2021–22 season, the Flames' first full season on returning coach Sutter. It would prove to be one of the most successful regular seasons in team history, with Gaudreau at the center of its success. With centreman Elias Lindholm and left winger Matthew Tkachuk, he formed one of the most dominant forward lines in the NHL, and all three members hit numerous personal and collective milestones over the course of the season. On April 12, he hit the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. Gaudreau scored his 40th goal of the season in an April 29 loss to the Minnesota Wild, joining Lindholm and Tkachuk in this feat, the first time in 28 years that linemates had all achieved this, and only the fourth time in that span that a team had three 40-goal scorers. He finished the season with 40 goals and 75 assists for 115 points, finishing second overall in points standings for the Art Ross Trophy, behind only Connor McDavid. This was also the second-most points ever for a Flame, behind only Kent Nilsson (131) in 1980–81. Gaudreau's performance through the season led many to argue that he should be a serious candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy, though he was ultimately not a finalist, finishing fourth in the voting. The Flames won the Pacific Division and finished sixth in the league. The Flames drew the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, a rematch of the bubble playoffs two years prior, and a matchup in which the Flames were considered the favourites. In light of disappointing results in preceding years, Gaudreau's prospective performance was the subject of considerable speculation. The Stars proved a greater challenge than many had anticipated, largely due to an exceptional performance from goaltender Jake Oettinger. After falling behind 2 games to 1, Gaudreau scored the game-winning goal to help tie the series in Game 4, his first of the playoffs. His performance