Flames 2 Sharks 3: Inside the Game

Flames fall to late goal, head to San Jose with a 2-2 split

Tuesday, 15.04.2008 / 7:52 PM / News
By Torie Peterson
INSIDE THE GAME

CALGARY 2 SAN JOSE 3
GAME AT A GLANCE
CALGARY— Even though the Flames came out strong with an early goal, the Sharks scored with less than 10 seconds to go in the game to get the 3-2 victory.

Dion Phaneuf takes Patrick Marleau into the end boards.

Jarome Iginla got the crowd right into the game early when he scored the ice breaker while falling. Picking Langkow's rebound, the captain rifled a shot from the right of the net. It flew over Evgeni Nabokov's shoulder and the C of Red exploded. His second goal of the post-season came at 3:19. Daymond Langkow and Alex Tanguay picked up assists.

Jody Shelley made himself public enemy number one late in the first when he threw a few punches at Jim Vandermeer in front of the Calgary net. The Flames defenseman didn't retaliate and Shelley earned himself a roughing call. After the whistle was blown and Miikka Kiprusoff was headed to the bench during the TV timeout, Shelley tripped him in front of the referee. The blatant trip didn't draw any extra penalties and the fans let Shelley know what they thought of his actions with boos so loud they rivaled the "Go Flames Go" chants.

Craig Conroy ran into some penalty trouble in the second frame, taking a hooking call at  9:43.The power play was what San Jose needed to get themselves on the scoreboard.

Ryane Clowe got the Sharks back into the game with his fourth goal of the playoffs. While on the power play, Kiprusoff was screened and didn't see Clowe tip Patrick Marleau's shot from the blueline. The power play goal came at 10:56.

The game didn't stay tied for long though. Dion Phaneuf got his third goal of the playoffs with a blast that just squeaked by Nabokov. The Sharks goaltender had several players screening him and couldn't get his left pad over enough to kick the puck out. The goal came at 18:29 with the lone assist going to Iginla.

Langkow was millimetres away from scoring early in the third. One a three-on-one, Langkow wristed a shot over Nabokov but it rang off the crossbar. The Flames thought it was a goal and threw their arms in celebration but a review showed it wasn't over the line.

Jonathan Cheechoo scored late in the third period, knotting the game up at 2-2. His slap shot beat Kiprusoff at 4:54. Everyone thought the game was going to overtime but the Sharks getting pushing.

Joe Thorton tipped in a shot by Murray with less than 10 seconds left in the game, shocking both the Flames and everyone in Pengrowth Saddledome.

The Flames head back to San Jose for Thursday's game with a 2-2 split in the series.
THE BIG SAVE: Douglas Murray had a spectacular chance while the Sharks were surging in the second period. He was about five feet in front of the Flames net and batted the puck at Kiprusoff. The puck bounced off the Finnish netminder and right back to Murray, who backhanded it to the left. Kiprusoff just got his toe on it and kept the game at 1-1.
THE BIG HIT: There wasn't nearly as much hitting as there was in Game 3 but there was a suprise hit in the first frame. While on the forecheck, Eric Nystrom lined up Joe Thorton, who has the size advantage over the Calgary youngster, and slammed him into the boards. The big forward  fell hard into glass and was left looking a little bewildered as if he wasn't expecting Nystrom's hit to have that much impact.
THE TURNING POINT: Joe Thorton proved why he's such an essential player for the Sharks when he scored the game winner with 9.4 seconds left in the game. Parking himself in front of the net, he tipped in a shot by Douglas Murray, and put a hush over the C of Red. The win means Calgary will be heading into San Jose with a 2-2 tie in the series.

THE ROSTER: The Flames scratches were D Rhett Warrener (ankle), D Anders Eriksson, D John Negrin, F Dustin Boyd, F David Moss, F Mark Smith (head), F David Van Der Gulik, F Brandon Prust and G Curtis McElhinney.

WORTH NOTING: The Flames recalled G Curtis McElhinney, F Brandon Prust, F Grant Stevenson and F David Van Der Gulik on Tuesday. McElhinney has 20 wins for Quad City this season and played 5 games with the Flames earlier in the season. Prust played 10 games for Calgary last season and has 10 goals and 27 assists in Quad City this season. Stevenson, who was signed as a free agent last July, has 30 goals for the Quad City Flames this season. Van Der Gulik has 19 goals and 42 points in Quad City this campaign.
BY THE NUMBERS: Going into the game, Calgary had the second best power play in the playoffs. Their 33.3% was only bettered by the Dallas Stars, whose power play clicked 46.2% ... In the first three games, Stephane Yelle led all players in terms of shooting percentage. He had a 66.7% scoring percentage (two goals on three shots) ... by the end of the first period, San Jose had 17 different line combinations during even strength play ... by the mid-way point of the first period, Joe Thorton had been on five different lines ... Joe Thorton scored the game winner with 9.2 seconds left, splitting the series at 2-2.
UP NEXT: Calgary heads back to the sunny state of California to take on the San Jose Sharks in Game 5 at the HP Pavillion.

Author: Victoria Peterson

Author: Victoria Peterson

Author: Victoria Peterson