Fair is fair.
Over the past couple of weeks the Calgary Flames have found a way to win or tie
games, that in reality they should have lost.
That way was Roman Turek.
Turek's all-world goaltending proved the difference in games in California, a
shut out victory over the Avalanche, a tie with the Blackhawks and another shut
out against Turek's former mates, the St. Louis Blues.
On Thursday night a 5-5 tie with the Kings displayed a measure of pay back, a
game in which the usually stellar Turek was less than stellar leading the
Flames to gain one point in a contest that likely should have resulted in two.
Though it's been said repeatedly this season, once again the end result was a
point in a game where the table was set to come up empty.
The Kings opened the scoring with their first of two first period powerplay
goals, both while the newly returned Marc Savard cooled his heals in the
penalty box.
Savard's intensity was evident early as he took roughing and high sticking
penalties, essentially fitting himself for goat horns minutes into his return.
By midway through the second period he'd found a way to redeem himself.
With an assist on yet another Jarome Iginla goal, sandwiched between the King's
powerplay goals by Randy Robitaille and Bryan Smolinski, he was well on his way
to a three point night.
Early in the second Savard scored on a powerplay, his second goal of the season
after missing fifteen games. On the play Savard took a drop pass from Scott
Nichol and fired a low shot through Felix Potvin's legs.
Less than two minutes later with the Flames back on a powerplay, Savard set up
Scott Nichol and sent the diminutive winger in alone to notch his second of the
season.
The goal appeared to put the Flames in control in a period that saw them take
two goal leads twice on additional goals by Iginla and Ron Petrovicky.
On most nights the margin would have been sufficient.
Not this time however.
Roman Turek was beaten twice on eight third period shots, yielding goals to
Jason Allison, his second of the game, and Zigmund Palffy to send the game into
overtime.
In the extra frame each team had chances but failed to score.
Of the five goals that got by Turek, he'd likely wish to have four of them back
as he was caught out of position or beat from tough angles.
"Every player will have a tough night and for me it was this game", Turek told
the Calgary Sun after the game.
In the end however, Turek was due for a tough start, and like his last average
outing, a 5-4 overtime loss to Nashville, the Flames provided enough offence to
find a point.
The unbeaten streak continues.
Calgary
Flames 5 Los Angeles Kings 5
Flames Continue
Streak with Wild One
