Captain Jarome Iginla scored the game winning goal in the shootout (in a deke folks) to give the Flames their first win in 5 games. The Flames went into Minnesota having lost 4 straight; the old Flames of November started to emerge. Effortless games with poor defense, no scoring, and bad goaltending were causing angst among fans and further complicated things in the NW division. A win and a return to the old winning ways of December was in order tonight.


For 30 minutes the old Flames showed up. Although there were times of the usual forechecking prominence in the first, the team was still outshot and found themselves in penalty trouble. Thankfully, after some line juggling, secondary scoring kicked in as Moss scored a nifty backhand for his first of the season in only his second game back from injury.

Minnesota tied the affair late in the second right off the face-off during a Minnesota power-play. Replays showed goalie interference on Kiprusoff before the puck arrived on net but the goal was allowed anyways. In the usual on-and-off method, Kiprusoff had a strong night saving the Flames with some crucial stops.

Early in the third, while the Flames looked to be gaining momentum a quick whistle prevented a Huselius goal. Luckily, Huselius would get another chance soon after and scored to put the Flames up.

Minnesota is a tough team to play at home and didn’t give up easily. They would tie things on yet another PPG early in the third. That would leave the rest of the third and OT to settle the affair. Neither solved the deadlock and it was a shootout that would solve the tie. Huselius started off and scored whereas both Minnesota shooters missed. Iginla had a chance to win and as noted earlier, didn’t just shoot, but scored a nice top shelf wrister.

Calgary pulled out two points in an important divisional game that leaves them two points out of the lead but with two extra games played.

Notes: Warrener sat out his second straight. Moss scored his first of the season, that leaves Smith as the only forward without a goal. Joseph went through his physical and will be in the lineup Friday.Nolan got into a fight in the second and dragged the team into the battle but didn’t return after.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS5V_vaoiyo]