Return of Miikka Kiprusoff not enough to keep Calgary Flames burning against Vancouver Canucks –NHL Update
Calgary Flames witnessed what could be a future entry-playoff match on Saturday night at the sold out Scotia Bank Saddledome, in Calgary, Alberta. The number-one team against the eighth fought it out to a victory, as Vancouver overcame Flames in a close
4-3 encounter.
If the playoffs were to start from today than this would have been the first for both teams.
Vancouver being the leader of the Western Conference with 99 points must realise that facing the last qualifying team isn’t going to be as easy as it seems.
Fans were in for a treat when Miikka Kiprusoff returned to play after Henrik Karlsson couldn’t handle the pressure, being shut out by Phoenix in the last match by 3-0.
Ryan Kesler made a debut goal after a long time, scoring his 34th of the season during a power play when Mark Giordano was sent out for hooking Mikael Samuelsson.
It was Kesler’s goal that gave recognition to Vancouver in the first period, with Calgary’s Mikael Backlund and Matt Stajan, 1:18 apart, prior to Kesler, taking an early lead of 2-0.
"To be up 2-0 is a great start on a Saturday night against these guys at home, but we know they have a lot of firepower", Flames’ captain, Jarome Iginla, said. "They got that important first power-play goal to settle it down because we were in control until
then".
The Sedin twins played amazingly well as Daniel Sedin became the leading scorer in the NHL during the heated second period, scoring the tying goal through a pass from brother, Henrik Sedin, who picked up two assists midway through, assisting Alex Burrows
to tie it up again after David Moss regained the lead 66 seconds later throwing a bouncing puck past Roberto Luongo.
Daniel Sedin took the lead for Vancouver with only 15 seconds remaining in the second 20 minutes which turned out to be the game winner at the end as both teams couldn’t penetrate each other’s defence throughout the final period.
"You can't count on the same players every night but you need your best to be your best and the twins were real good", Vancouver’s coach, Alain Vigneault, said.
Miikka Kiprusoff, who started for the first time after taking one match off after 22 consecutive opens, made 28 saves, much more compared to counterpart, Luongo, who made 20.
Calgary has lost two consecutive times now, going against Phoenix for the second time in three matches on Tuesday at home.
Calgary needs to win more upcoming games, standing eighth in the Western Conference means that you’re both on the playoff boundary edge and safe as well.
It’ll depend solely on its next game. Calgary is above ninth placed Nashville by a point and under sixth placed Dallas by the same.
Grabbing those precious two game winning points in the next match would tie it with LA and Phoenix for fourth place.
Canucks has again picked up the pace, playing like they did pre All-Star Game break, ending a perfect five-game road trip against Flames. They go back home for three games starting off against Minnesota Wild on Monday.
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