Blackhawks 4, Flames 1

2011-12 Game No. 15; Road Game No. 7

Flames Record: 6-8-1

FULL HIGHLIGHTS ›BRODIE'S RETURN › GAME PHOTO GALLERY ›THE FIVE TAKEAWAYS ›

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CALGARYFLAMES.COM 3 STARS

1st STAR MIKAEL BACKLUND CENTER- CGY GOALS: 0 | ASST: 0 | SHOTS: 3 | HITS: 2 TOI: 15:53 | PIM: 0 VIDEO ›

2nd STAR PATRICK SHARP RIGHT WING - CHI GOALS: 0 | ASST: 3 | SHOTS: 6 | HITS: 0 TOI: 17:17 | PIM: 0 VIDEO ›

3rd STAR OLLI JOKINEN CENTER - CGY GOALS: 1 | ASST: 1 | SHOTS: 5 | HITS: 2 TOI: 16:18 | PIM: 0 VIDEO ›

Which rookie impressed you the most in Chicago? Roman Horak TJ Brodie Paul Byron VOTE

CHICAGO, IL -- The United Center has not been friendly to the Calgary Flames over the past few years.

The Flames have now lost seven straight games in Chicago after falling 4-1 on Friday night.

The Flames came out firing on all cylinders in the opening period but it was the Blackhawks who drew first blood.

Right after an unsuccessful power play, Mark Giordano tried to bank a pass off the boards and out of the zone but the play was picked off by Patrick Sharp. The forward came in and fired a shot on Miikka Kiprusoff. The netminder made the initial save but the rebound ended up on Duncan Keith's stick. Kiprusoff stumbled as he tried to dive over to make the save and the defenceman was able to slap the shot over the sprawling goaltender.

The Flames continued to pressure the Blackhawks offensively in the second period but a lack of finish held them off the scoreboard. Curtis Glencross was a prime example of this after being denied by Ray Emery on a breakaway. Former Flame Steve Montador turned the puck over right at the Chicago blueline and the winger surged into the zone. He took a shot from close range but he waited just a second too long, allowing the goaltender to settle into position to make the save.

Brent Seabrook gave his club a two-goal cushion at 12:11 of the second stanza with a power play marker. He sent a hard blast from the point with Jonathan Toews screening Kiprusoff. Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp picked up the helpers on the goal.

The Flames got back into the game when Olli Jokinen scored in the third period. The pivot's fourth goal of the year came after a faceoff win deep in Chicago's zone. Jokinen smacked it back to Giordano and the blueliner sent it right back to him. He rifled a one-timer into the back of the net, ending the club's scoreless streak at 144:56.

The momentum Calgary had from their tally died a few minutes later as Viktor Stalberg made it 3-1 after Mikael Backlund lost track of him in the Flames zone and he was able to get a clear shot on net in the slot.

Patrick Kane added an empty-netter at 19:56, handing the Flames their second straight loss.

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PHOTO OF THE GAME

BY THE NUMBERS

STAT OF THE NIGHT The Flames hit total sat at 36 after the final buzzer had gone. The Blackhawks sent 17 jolts at Calgary. 12 players registered more than one hit in the tilt with the always-gritty Tim Jackman leading the way with six. Only Alex Tanguay and Curtis Glencross failed to register a hit through the game. FLAMES LEADERS Icetime -- Giordano (22:17) Shots -- Jokinen (5) Hits -- Jackman (6) Blocks -- Giordano (4) Takeaways -- Giordano, Backlund, Kostopoulos (1) Faceoffs -- Jokinen (15)

TWEET OF THE NIGHT: craignukem : Seeing some promise in the young guys tonight @NHLFlames have missed @mbacklund11 he's looking great out there.

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FLAMES LINEUP VS. CHICAGO
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Alex Tanguay	Mikael Backlund	Jarome Iginla
Curtis Glencross	Olli Jokinen	Rene Bourque
Paul Byron	Roman Horak	Lee Stempniak
Tom Kostopoulos	David Moss	Tim Jackman

DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Left Defence	Right Defence
Scott Hannan	Mark Giordano
Jay Bouwmeester	Chris Butler
Derek Smith	TJ Brodie
Goaltenders: Miikka Kiprusoff, Henrik Karlsson Starting Lineup: Kiprusoff, Tanguay, Backlund, Iginla, Bouwmeester, Butler

POWERPLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Tim Jackman	Mikael Backlund	Jarome Iginla
Curtis Glencross	Olli Jokinen	Rene Bourque

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Mark Giordano	Alex Tanguay

PENALTY KILL UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Alex Tanguay	Curtis Glencross
Rene Bourque	Lee Stempniak

DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Left Defence	Right Defence
Scott Hannan	Mark Girodano
Jay Bouwmeester	Chris Butler