VANCOUVER 5 CALGARY 4 (OT)

A NIGHT OF FIRSTS
Okay, quick. When you were talking at the office this week who did you pick to score the first goal of the season for the Calgary Flames?

Iginla? Bertuzzi? Cammalleri? Phaneuf?

Bet you nobody mentioned Andre Roy, the Flames resident pugilist. But, on a night of firsts to open the season at the Pengrowth Saddledome, it was Andre Roy who scored the first goal of the 2008-09 campaign for the Flames, picking up a loose puck in the slot and hammering home a slapper of a stunned Roberto Luongo in the Canucks net at 2:49 of the first period.

Flames Line Combinations Bertuzzi-Langkow-Iginla Cammalleri-Lombardi-Bourque Glencross-Conroy-Moss Prust-Primeau-Roy Extras: Nystrom, Boyd Defence Pairings: Regehr-Sarich Vandermeer-Aucoin Giordano-Phaneuf Extra: Pardy Goalies: Kiprusoff (S)  McElhinney

Even Roy, a fourth-liner, looked a little surprised that he had scored. But, after being blanked 6-0 in Vancouver on Thursday, the Flames weren't worried about who scored, just that they did score.

Roy's goal came less than a minute after Daniel Sedin had put the Canucks ahead 1-0 and started a string of three consecutive goals for the Flames in the first period.

That included Todd Bertuzzi and Rene Bourque tallying their first goals in a Flames uniform. Bertuzzi was heading to the net from the high slot when a Mark Giordano wrister richocheted off his arm into the top corner. Bourque batted in a rebound off a Mike Cammalleri shot. In the second period, another first, as Cammalleri scored the Flames fourth goal of the night from the edge of the crease when he neatly banged in a rebound.

Official Gamesheet

That goal proved critical and was one of the few legitimate chances the Flames had to score in the second period, as they lapsed and let Vancouver back in the game. Cammalleri's goal restored the Flames lead, to 4-3, after a 3-1 lead had slipped through their hands.

Not that Vancouver was finished -- Daniel Sedin notched this game at four a piece when he took a perfect pass from his brother from behidn the net and fired home a wrist shot at 6:10 of the third.

The game-winner came in overtime, courtesy of Pavol Demitra at 3:54 as the Canucks take four points from the Flames in the home-and-home series to start the season.

While the Flames were happy with portions of their game, they were not happy with their defensive play, noting they have given up 11 goals in two games.

"There were a lot of good things," said captain Jarome Iginla. "It's disappointing that we didn't get the win. We have to tighten it up defensively. We are giving up a lot of point blank scoring chances."

"There's not much to be said after that game," added Cammalleri. "Pretty upset, for sure. If we can solidify our defensive play we are going to start to win games. The whole system is based on solid defensive play."

Bourque concurred.

"We had a good first period and then we let them back into it in the second. We had some mental lapses during the game. We have to play 60 minutes," said Bourque. "We scored four goals tonight. Our defensive zone coverage has to be better. We are getting outbattled down low and too many turnovers, too."

THE ROSTER: The Flames scratches were F Eric Nystom, F Dustin Boyd and D Adam Pardy.

WORTH NOTING:Dion Phaneuf wore an A on his jersey, as did Robyn Regehr who was back in the line-up after missing Thursday's 6-0 loss to Vancouver after returning to Calgary be with his wife, Christina, for the birth of their first child, a baby boy...In Vancouver Todd Bertuzzi wore an A. Although the team hasn't finalized who will be wearing the final A (D Rhett Warrener, now on long-term injured reserve had an A last season) they may decide to have Phaneuf wear a A at hoem and Bertuzzi wear an A on the road...The Flames felt they were outworked on Thursday in Vancouver and wanted to play a physical game. Point taken. After two periods the Flames had outhit the Canucks 25-13...The Flames host Colorado on Tuesday at the 'Dome...