Ducks, Flames Fit to Be Tied

D'Arcy McGrath

November 7th, 2001

Momentum can play a huge role in the game of hockey.

A one sided fight, a bone rattling hit, a great kill of a two man advantage or an odd call by an official ... all potential swing points in a hockey game.

A scrappy, if unpolished see saw battle in Anaheim featured many momentum shifts, as the two clubs settled for what turned out to be a just tie in the end.

After a scoreless first period the Flames opened the scoring, striking with the power play early in the second.

Dean McAmmond worked the puck behind the net to Craig Conroy, who turned and took it towards the back of the Duck's cage. Much like Kent Nilsson in the early 80's, Conroy instead spotted a seemingly stealthed Jarome Iginla slipping into the slot, and fed him a pass before moving behind the net. Iginla one timed the pass for his 10th of the season.

From there the Flames continued to press, and had basically prevented the Ducks from any real offence until a weak goal tied the game midway through the second.

On the play Patric Kjellberg avoided a hit from Ron Petrovicky and took the puck to the slot before spotting Niclas Havelid heading toward the net. Havelid fired a low shot, short side that eluded Roman Turek - a goal Turek would clearly like to have back.

The goal seemed to stun the Flames as both teams slipped into a tedious, uninspired section of the game, with neither team getting much in the way of chances.

The Flames regained the lead in the period's last minute when the big line struck once again. This time Dean McAmmond did the honors from behind the net, once again spotting the Flames "go to" guy, Iginla for his second of the night.

Iginla's two goals gives him 11 on the season, and extends his point streak to nine games.

Much like the second period the Flames seemed to have things under control early in the third, playing a sound defensive game, and preventing the Ducks from getting any chances.

However a bizarre chain of events stemming from the officiating turned the game on it's ear once again. 

Chris Clark was sent off for goalie interference five minutes into the period on a play that was questinable at best. The replay clearly showed Clark coming to a full stop in front of Duck's goaltender J.S. Giguere, before getting run from behind by Kevin Sawyer.

On the ensuing powerplay the Ducks tied the game after a Craig Conroy clearing attempt struck an official and bounded to the point. Steve Rucchin was credited with the goal when the point shot bounced off his shin.

A couple of minutes later the Ducks took their first lead of the night when Paul Kariya streaked down the side and fired a cannon just inside the post.

From there the Ducks appeared to go into a shell as they sat back and iced the puck on numerous occasions. As is most often the case, the shell approach was doomed to fail when another Flame streak was continued for the tying goal.

Dave Lowry found a loose rebound off a tremendous effort by Rob Niedermayer to score his fifth of the season, and fourth in four games.

The overtime period witnessed a flat Flames squad with the best chances going to the Ducks, but neither team managed to settle things.