When the tents came
down in Minnesota, a
successful all star game
behind them the Western
Conference was a clouded
mess.
Four teams tied for
spots six through nine,
two others charging to
get into the group, and
the Calgary Flames
nervously stuck in the
middle, hoping to find a
solid chair when the
music comes to a stop in
early April.
What a time for a
streak.
The Calgary Flames
added to their new found
standings cushion by
winning their fourth
straight game, once
again by that all
familiar 2-1 final
score, spoiling a
playoff chase for the
all star hosts, the
Minnesota Wild.
The victory matched
the Flames best win
streak of the season,
and moves the club a
full ten games over .500
for the first time this
season, and for the
first time in 11 years
if you look back far
enough.
The Flames played a
picture perfect road
game this afternoon,
scoring twice on the
powerplay - a first
period marker by Jarome Iginla,
and a third period game
winner by Robyn Regehr -
and only allowing 16
shots.
Truth be known they
only generated 16 shots
of their own, but the
club played the style of
game they have to play
in order to find points
in tough barn on this
five game road trip.
The Iginla strike,
his 29th of the season,
was a back breaker
coming in the last
minute of the first
period. He moves to
within two goals of
league leader Rick Nash
of the Columbus Blue
Jackets.
The Wild tied the
score on an unfortunate
bounce for Calgary's
Miikka Kiprusoff, as a
long shot by Sergei
Zholtov appeared to hit
a skate in front of the
net and careen by the
Calgary keeper. He was
solid the rest of the
way keeping the
opposition to two or
less goals for the 18th
time in his 19 Calgary
starts.
Midway through the
third period, Jordan
Leopold was pulled down
coming out of his own
zone, an infraction that
sent the Flames to the
powerplay.
Robyn Regehr fired a
screen shot past former
Flame Dwayne Roloson off
a perfect feed from Dean
McAmmond, a goal that
moved the Flames to two
for six with the man
advantage on the night.
For Regehr the goal
was his third of the
season, a new career
high for a guy that went
101 games between goals.
"You guys will
have to get on me more
often", he told the
Fan 960.
"A lot of guys
were banged up and tired
with that schedule
through January. We all
took the time to get
some rest and come back
focused on this last
stretch of games. We're
excited about the
challenge".
The win gives the
Flames some breathing
room for 5th place in
the Western Conference,
as they now sit a full
four points ahead of the
Dallas Stars. The LA
Kings picked up a point
for losing in overtime
this afternoon, moving
into a tie with the
Stars. If the Predators
hold on to beat the
Oilers they too will be
locked with the Kings
and Stars, all four
points back of the
Flames.
Calgary has a six
point bulge on a playoff
spot, and a magic number
of 22.
Next up for the
Flames is another road
date in Montreal to play
the Canadiens on
Thursday night.
