Daymond Langkow scored two goals and the Calgary Flames surged
past San Jose Tuesday night
CALGARY, ALBERTA
Daymond Langkow scored two goals and the Calgary Flames surged past the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Tuesday night.
The Flames have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams since losing 6-1 to the Sharks on Nov. 13.
Calgary has gone 15-4-3 since then, and kept up its strong play with an impressive performance against the NHL’s top team.
Calgary led 2-0 early on goals by Curtis Glencross and Langkow and had a 15-0 edge on shots before San Jose was able to direct its first shot on Miikka Kiprusoff, a bad angle wrist shot from Mike Grier at 16:51 of the first.
The Flames extended the lead to 3-0 late in the period on Mark Giordano’s power-play goal.
Calgary also started the second period strong with Langkow one-timing Rene Bourque’s pass behind Evgeni Nabokov at 1:26 to make it 4-0.
Langkow’s 16th of the season ended the game for Nabokov, who was pulled for the first time this season by being replaced by Brian Boucher.
Nabokov finished with 14 saves on 18 shots. His record fell to 21-4-4.
Second-period goals by Ryane Clowe and Grier moved the Sharks to 4-2, but that was as close as they would get.
David Moss had the other goal for Calgary, which improved to 8-1-3 in its past 12 games to open up a five-point lead over the Vancouver Canucks atop the Northwest Division.
San Jose lost in regulation for the first time in its past seven games.
The Flames opened the scoring on their 12th shot. On a 2-on-1 rush, Glencross fired a shot that squeezed through Nabokov’s pads.
A defensive lapse cost the Sharks on the second goal. Langkow positioned himself directly behind defenseman Christian Ehrhoff at the top of the crease and from there he steered in Todd Bertuzzi’s centering pass.
The Flames made it 3-0 when Giordano’s rising shot from the blue line found the top corner. Nabokov did not move on the shot because his view was blocked by Moss, who was positioned directly in front of him.
San Jose answered when Clowe slapped in a rebound at 5:30 of the second.
The Sharks connected again when Patrick Marleau stole the puck from Adrian Aucoin and set up Grier’s eighth goal of the season at 9:22 of the second.
San Jose continued to pressure in the third but Kiprusoff stood strong. His best save in an 11-shot third period came on a pad stop off Clowe, who was set up perfectly in front for a one-timer by Joe Pavelski.
The Flames added a goal with Moss’ 12th at 10:06 of the third.
Notes:
Iginla played in his 900th career game. … Langkow’s two-goal effort extended his points streak to six games (five goals, four assists). … San Jose entered the game second in the NHL in both most shots for (34.8) and fewest shots against (26.9). … San Jose D Douglas Murray (lower body) returned to the lineup after missing two games. … San Jose C Joe Thornton had his six-game scoring streak snapped (one goal, 10 assists).
