The good guys came home and beat a team that they may very well face in the first round–assuming they make it. Calgary needs to win 9 of their final 11 to make the playoffs.

The fourth line chimed in for a couple as Calgary stomped on the Sharks. San Jose tried to make a game of it late but Calgary held on for the victory in front of a cheering home crowd.

Calgary opened the scoring when Jarome Iginla netted his 36th (he’ll be lucky to hit 80 points this year). The top line after that goal was mostly silent. Iginla fought Ryan Clowe for some reason at the end of the second, but apart from the that the fourth line chipped in the most. Matt Stajan needs to get his crap together if he’s going to help this team and prevent me from making his time in Calgary difficult (by blogging).

First period action saw Calgary score twice, Langkow with his 14th (5 million for under 20 goals? ouch.), by capitalizing on SJ turnovers.


The second period saw SJ draw within one, but after it was the fourth line and notably Mikael Backlund who jumped into the fray.

Both goals saw Backlund make the first shot and the trailing winger score into the empty net. A nice way to work back into the lineup. Dawes and Nystrom scored to give the Flames a 4-1 advantage going into the third.

In the third it was Backlund who inadvertently got the Sharks back into it. He tried to stop play after a long series (and after an icing) by passing the puck to Kiprusoff. Kipper unfortunately had one of those moments where he doesn’t stay with the puck cause he’s busy thinking about the smoke break he’ll take at the end of the period. SJ jumped on the puck that squirted into the crease and drew within 2.

The top line couldn’t play defense within two minutes left (Bourque trying away to hard to score in an empty net and Iginla….well he doesn’t play D) and came within one.

The Flames would hang on and pick up two much needed points before heading over to Minnesota Sunday where they MUST pick up two points.

Notes: Thanks to Edmonton for being the garbage team they are, dropping a 2-0 lead against Detroit to give them a point with one second left in the game, thanks. The point keeps Detroit on top of Calgary with a game in hand.

Giordano +4 tonight.