-
News
-
Win, and Flames are in
March 9, 2010
Jarome Iginla has not scored a goal in his last 19 games against the Detroit Red Wings. Ending that streak might help the Calgary Flames pass Detroit in the playoff race.
Iginla and the Flames will try to move ahead of the Red Wings in a critical Western Conference matchup at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night.
Detroit (21-22-12) holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the West, with Calgary (32-24-9) one point behind. The teams split their first two meetings, and have not faced each other since November.
Iginla has scored at least 30 goals in nine straight seasons, but does not have any in a regular-season game against the Red Wings since March 3, 2004. He has 10 assists in the last 19 meetings.
The Flames captain broke a less lengthy goal drought against another opponent Sunday, recording a hat trick that featured two power-play goals on slap shots in a 5-2 win at Minnesota. Iginla had not scored in his previous nine games versus the Wild.
"I'd be lying if I said I was aiming those," said Iginla of his power-play goals. "I was really just trying to hit them hard, and fortunately, they came off the right way."
The pressure was on Calgary to win after Detroit beat Chicago 5-4 earlier Sunday. The visiting Red Wings scored five times in the second period as Brian Rafalski, Valtteri Filppula and Niklas Lidstrom each had a goal and an assist.
"They seemed to take it off the pedal a little there in the second and we took advantage of it," Rafalski said. "We got on a little bit of a roll there and just kept coming."
Detroit has won four of five and Calgary three of four. Both teams totaled 10 goals in consecutive victories and had eight players score.
"The last couple games, we've been moving the puck a lot better and creating more but still working hard," Iginla said. "It feels good."
Iginla recorded six goals and four assists in his last six games, and six points in his last two on the road.
"He's got that grit and intangibles of a great hockey leader, and he has an incredibly high offensive skill level," said defenseman Steve Staios, traded to the Flames from Edmonton last week. "It's nice being on this side of it, that's for sure."
Vesa Toskala made his Flames debut a successful one with 27 saves Sunday. He was traded to Anaheim for J.S. Giguere on Jan. 31, then to Calgary for Curtis McElhinney on March 3.
Miikka Kiprusoff, 4-2-0 with a 2.31 goals-against average in his last six starts against Detroit, is expected to be back in net Tuesday.
Pavel Datsyuk has three goals and five assists during a five-game point streak for the Red Wings. Datsyuk scored with three seconds left in the second period to cap Sunday's outburst.
Former Calgary winger Todd Bertuzzi had two assists before suffering a lower-body injury in the second period against the Blackhawks. His status is uncertain for Tuesday.
Related
-
- Busy Tuesday in the NHL
- Sportsnet.ca on headshots:
- Spector: Headed for change
- Brophy: Time for action
- Principe: Respect disappears
-
Recent Headlines
- Leafs send down defenceman Aulie to AHL
- Brophy on Leafs: The role of a captain
- Spector on NHL: Time to make a change
- Penguins place Crosby on injured reserve
- Principles first for Burke in team-building
- Scheifele, Jets agree on entry-level contract
- Hockeycentral season preview polls
-
Nyquist nets two to lift Wings over Pens
-
Green helps Capitals down Blackhawks
- Oilers place Brule on waivers
- Brophy on Leafs: Night of mixed emotions
-
MacArthur gets two regular-season games
- Dixon on NHL: The great fight debate
- Puck Money: Ranking the players & franchises
-
Fedun injury puts spotlight on icing rule
-
Flames' Feaster says Iginla will play opener
-
Doughty, Kings agree to 8-year, $56M deal
- Veteran Fedoruk fails to stick with Canucks
-
My Headlines
Stories from your favourite teamsedit [?]
- Puck Money: Value in forking out at NHL arenas
-
Burke: Leafs Nation will take over Winter Classic
- Kessel, Leafs look to remain hot on Broad Street
-
Wings to host Leafs in 2013 Winter Classic
- Source: Leafs-Red Wings set for Winter Classic
-
Pavelec, Jets shutdown Leafs for 2-1 win
-
Darryl Sittler discusses Gagner on PTS
-
Former Sharks captain Nolan retires from NHL
-
(Stuff) Leafs Fans Say
- Replay of the Day: Lupul's slick catch-and-shoot
