Calgary Flames moves up after defeating Nashville Predators in a close encounter 3-2 – NHL Updates
Calgary Flames continues to rise, becoming one of the most dominating and feared teams in the league as it beats Nashville Predators at home ice at the sold out Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, on Sunday night in a close 3-2 contest.
Nashville fell further down in the Western Conference, even though it defeated some major teams like Vancouver Canucks in previous games but then losing to the worst team in the NHL, Edmonton Oilers, by 2-1 in a shootout.
Flames has started making history and breaking records in each game, as Miikka Kiprusoff blocked consecutive penalty shots, doing so after 25 years.
Current captain, Jarome Iginla, continues his legacy of scoring 30 goals or above each season for 10 straight seasons, when capitalising on a penalty shot early in the second period, becoming only the 10th to do so in league’s history.
The last time he didn’t finish a season with 30 or above goals was in the 1999-2000 season, when he finished with 29.
Nashville was up at the end of the second period by 2-1, when Martin Erat scored on Kiprusoff early on.
Flames’ Mark Giordano tied it within 5 minutes during a power-play when Jonathon Blum was sent out for tripping Curtis Glencross, but Nashville was again at Flames defensive end, making a breakthrough on the defensemen, scoring at 15:58 from an assist by
Martin Erat.
Calgary gave two power-plays in the first alone, but Predators wasn’t able to take benefit.
The second period was tough for both teams, as each looked to extend its scoring knowing that each game won, especially when the play-offs are closing in, has monumental weight in the rankings.
Iginla was going for a break away at Pekka Rinne, but was tugged on from behind by Sergei Kostitsyn, resulting in a successful penalty shot which enabled Flames to tie it up once again at a crucial moment.
Glencross became the man of the match, when he shot back a loose puck from Rene Bourque’s try which hit the goal post, firing it through Rinne midway through the third which ended up being the game winning goal.
All pressure was on Kiprusoff, the moment Glencross scored, since he had to keep Nashville out of the net, making some spectacular saves including a close call when opposing captain, Shea Weber, shot the puck from the blue line in the final seconds.
Flames look strong with 79 points and 5th place in the Western Conference, now above Phoenix with its second consecutive win.
Nashville’s tied at 9th place with 75 points alongside Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks.
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