|
 Flames
Outlast Scrappy Wild for 8th Win
Rick
Charlton
October 27th, 2001
The Calgary Flames entered this
season knowing they would have to score by committee.
But the early going continues
to be a one man show.
Although Clarke Wilm and Chris
Clark, two players the Flames need to pop the occasional goal,
came through with their first markers of the season, it was
once again old standby Jarome Iginla who stood up in the
clutch and led the Flames to a 4-2 victory at the Saddledome
last night.
Iginla put up his eighth of the
season and added an assist as he extended his point streak to
six games and retained control of the NHL scoring derby with
19 points.
The Flames right winger
continues his dramatic bid for a spot on Canada's Olympic
roster and has participated in a startling 19 of Calgary's 35
goals this year.
With the victory the Flames run
their home record to 5-0-0-2 this season and retain their
share atop the overall league standings with the Detroit Red
Wings.
"That's a big win, with
the break in games coming up", Iginla told
Calgarypuck.com
"We really concentrated on
the first period, getting off to good starts in games has been
a big part of our success this year".
Craig Conroy continues to
impress with his overall two way play, adding the other Flame
goal as well as an assist, giving him 12 points in 12 games
this year, an offensive dimension the Flames probably weren't
expecting when they acquired him last year.
"I'm surprised", a
pleased yet baffled Conroy commented on his offensive
outburst.
"Gibby knew I could score,
he just told me it might not come around right away, but to be
patient".
Clarke Wilm opened scoring at
12:32 on a nice behind the pass from Ronald Petrovicky. Wilm
had been left alone in front by the usually diligent Minnesota
defence and blew a shot over the shoulder of Minnesota starter
Dwayne Roloson.
Marian Gaborik tied the score
at 2:49 of the second with a one-timer from a great pass by
Jim Dowd, a powerplay marker with Clark off for slashing.
Calgary jumped ahead at 7:36 on
the powerplay when they swarmed the Wild net, with Iginla
finally tapping the puck behind Roloson while the Wild stood
around thinking their netminder had the puck surrounded.
Flames then jumped ahead 3-1 at
2:48 of the third with Roloson misplaying the puck behind his
net, giving Iginla a free pass to Conroy in the slot, where
the Flame centre drilled a one-timer into an empty cage.
Minnesota responded only 21
seconds later when Matt Johnson batted a crazy rebound past
Turek at 3:09.
But Clark put the Wild down for
good at 11:29, deflecting home a slick back hand cross-crease
pass off the stick of Rob Niedermayer.
Turek, now 8-2 on the season,
made some workmanlike saves but didn't have to be a big factor
in this game, stopping 19 of 21 shots. Roloson faced 28 Flames
shots.
Calgary was one for three on
the powerplay while Minnesota was one for four.
Minnesota has now been
outscored an astonishing 21-8 when playing five on five so far
this season. Only their league leading power play has given
Minnesota their deceptively good record early in the campaign.
The Flames continue to suffer
somewhat at the gate with only 14,088 coming through the
turnstiles. The principle of "win and they will
come" has still to come into play as far as Calgary is
concerned. Then again, any game with teams like Minnesota and
Nashville and their mind-numbing defensive style is likely a
date any sensible hockey fan will try to avoid. | 
Calgary
Flames 4 Minnesota Wild 2 
