Iginla powers Flames over Blackhawks
Written by on February 4th, 2012 in Latest News.
Jarome Iginla had a goal and an help as the Calgary Flames handed the slumping Chicago Blackhawks their fifth straight loss, 3-1 on Friday.
Defenceman Jay Bouwmeester and Olli Jokinen scored for Calgary (24-22-6), which climbed back to within three points of the Minnesota Wild for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Miikka Kiprusoff earned NHL victory No. 299 with 26 saves. It was his 527th game as a Flame, moving him past Mike Vernon and into top spot on the Flames all-time list for goaltenders.
Brent Seabrook had the lone goal for the Blackhawks (29-17-7), who have gone seven straight road games without a win — their longest winless streak since the franchise-record 19-game swoon in 2003-04.
With Calgary hanging on to a 2-1 lead, Iginla gave the Flames some breathing room at 12:39 of the third period. Sent in alone by Alex Tanguay, Iginla fooled goaltender Ray Emery with a deke, then dragged the puck past the goalie for his 19th goal.
Kiprusoff’s best stop came early in the third as he sprawled to deny Viktor Stalberg from close-in as he burst in from off the wing in a bid for the tying goal.
Calgary took advantage of a four-minute double minor for high-sticking on Michael Frolik to make it 2-1 at 18:56 of the second.
Mikael Backlund’s shot through a Blair Jones screen was kicked out by Emery but went right to Bouwmeester, who fired in the rebound for his fourth goal.
Chicago had the edge in play in the first period, outshooting Calgary 13-6, but the Flames turned the tables in the second holding a 16-6 edge in shots.
Emery, who had 29 stops, was brilliant in net for the Blackhawks. His record falls to 11-4-2.
Chicago tied the score 1-1 with 29 seconds remaining in the first period, taking advantage of a Flames defensive lapse. Seabrook crept in from the point and buried a perfect cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane before Kiprusoff could get across.
Calgary opened the scoring at 12:24 on a Jokinen’s goal, though it took a couple minutes for his 13th goal to be confirmed.
Jokinen let go a wicked rising slapshot from 30 feet out that went off the bar at the back of the net and bounced out so quick that Jokinen, who immediately place his arms in the air, appeared to be the only person on the ice that thought it was a goal. Play continued briefly with the crowd of 19,289 seemingly confused also before play was stopped and video replay confirmed that it was a goal.
Calgary, which had lost three straight games at home, kicks off a three-game road trip against the Pacific Division Monday night in Anaheim.
Chicago will glide home for a brief stay before heading to Colorado, where they’ll continue a nine-game road trip on Tuesday night. So far, the Blackhawks are 0-2-1.
Krys Kolanos made his Flames debut after signing with Calgary on Wednesday. Kolanos had been playing with the Flames AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, where he was the team’s leading scorer.
