Flames one win away from Round 2
Canadian Press
4/16/2004
VANCOUVER (CP) - Jarome Iginla scored to break a tie early in the third period as the Calgary Flames defeated the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 Thursday to take a 3-2 lead in their NHL playoff series.
The Flames can wrap up the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final with a win in Calgary on Saturday night.
Iginla was credited with his third goal of the playoffs when his deflection of an Andrew Ference shot appeared to hit Vancouver defenceman Mattias Ohlund's skate and bounce into the net past rookie goaltender Alex Auld, a surprise starter for the Canucks.
At the time Ohlund was tangled up with Flames forward Martin Gelinas. The Canucks argued Gelinas was in the crease but after reviewing the play the officials let the goal stand.
"It was a lucky play," said Iginla, standing in the Flames dressing room wearing the green hard hat awarded to the hardest working Calgary player in each game.
"I just deflected it, looked back and there was mayhem back there. It just went in."
Craig Conroy also scored on the power play for the Flames.
Henrik Sedin scored for the Canucks on the power play.
The desperate Canucks poured on the pressure in the third period, outshooting Calgary 12-2.
"It was a tight game and they found a way to capitalize when it counted," said Canucks captain Markus Naslund in a muted Vancouver dressing room. "We have to find the urgency to get the goals when we need them."
Canucks coach Marc Crawford decided to go with Auld in goal, leaving veteran Johan Hedberg on the bench. Auld finished with 18 saves.
"I thought (Auld) responded real well," Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "This certainly wasn't a criticism of Johan.
"We've got a lot of faith in Alex. We've got a lot of faith in Johan. They've both played well."
Auld said he was able to handle his nerves.
"It was obviously pretty exciting coming out to the roar of the crowd," he said. "Once the puck drops, you're just playing another game."
The Flames, making their first playoff appearance in eight years, have a chance to win their first playoff series since Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship.
"We've believed in ourselves all season," said Iginla. "Now we're in a good position but as good as it feels tonight it's all about getting ready for Game 6 and having a chance to close it at home."
Added Flames coach Darryl Sutter: "The toughest game is still yet to come."
Hedberg, who replaced starting goaltender Dan Cloutier after he sprained his right ankle Sunday, played in Vancouver's embarrassing 4-0 loss to the Flames Tuesday night.
Auld was tested in the first period when he made a glove save to stop Chris Clark on a breakaway. He later made a pad save of a Shean Donovan shot from a sharp angle.
After a scoreless opening 20 minutes the teams exchanged second-period goals.
Conroy, playing with a facemask to protect a face messed up in Game 3, opened the scoring at 3:50. With the Flames on a power play, defenceman Mike Commodore blasted a shot from the point. Conroy picked the puck off the back boards and beat Auld with a shot to the far side.
Sedin brought the sellout crowd of 18,630 to its feet when he tied the game at 16:19, deflecting a Sami Salo shot past Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. It was Vancouver's first goal against Kiprusoff in almost 115 minutes.
"He was really solid," Sutter said of Kiprusoff. "He made some big saves."
What the Flames might have lacked in talent they compensated for with hard work and tenacity.
Calgary forwards pounded the Canucks defencemen into the boards like hammers on nails. The Flames won the battle along the boards and clogged up the middle, negating Vancouver's speed.
In their own end the Flames used their size and strength to clear traffic in front of the net. Defenceman Robyn Regehr and Rhett Warrener pushed and shoved the Canucks forwards out of the way like shoppers at a Boxing Day sale.
"We still have to find another notch," Crawford said of his team. "We've got to have everybody ... I think there's more for our guys to give."
Auld, 23, has played just 14 NHL games, spending most of this season with the Manitoba Moose, Vancouver's American Hockey League affiliate.
In six NHL appearances this year, he posted a 2-2-2 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. His lone playoff stint was filling in for Cloutier for one period last year.
Notes: Brad May was scratched from the Vancouver lineup and replaced by Tyler Bouck ... Heading into the game, no Vancouver player had a plus rating ... The Canucks are 1-5 in series where they were tied 2-2 after four games.
Cheers,
Aquaman