Nov 6, 2009 - 1:29 PM
0 shoutsBy SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer
New York (10-6-1) at Calgary (9-4-1), 10:00 p.m. EDT
Back-to-back overtime wins have the Calgary Flames feeling good about themselves, while the New York Rangers believe their latest victory helped them avoid the wrath of their coach.
The Flames return home in search of a third straight win Saturday night when they face the Rangers, who hope to have starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist available.
Calgary (9-4-1) lost the final two games of a five-game homestand Oct. 16-31 and had three days off to prepare for back-to-back road games. The Flames got back on track with a 3-2 victory Wednesday at Dallas and a 2-1 win Thursday at St. Louis.
"To be able to get two of them in a row, in overtime like this, it's a great feeling," star winger Jarome Iginla said. "It's good for momentum."
Three of the Flames' nine wins have come in overtime. They beat Edmonton 4-3 in a shootout on Oct. 8.
"A good road trip for us," goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff said. "To come out with four points, that's huge. To win these close games, it's nice."
New York (10-6-1) is hoping to finish with a winning road trip after defeating Edmonton 5-3 on Thursday. The Rangers opened the trip with a 4-1 loss at Vancouver on Tuesday, and had scored five goals in losing three of four before Thursday.
"We needed a win of any kind period, not just a road win," Rangers backup goaltender Steve Valiquette said. "Just like Edmonton, we have been reeling a little bit and we knew this game was an opportunity to perhaps turn things around.
"We would have been in deep trouble with (coach John Tortorella) if we had recorded another loss here."
The Rangers got power-play goals from Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan and Ales Kotalik and their penalty kill unit - which is among the best in the NHL - stopped all four power-play chances for the Oilers.
"I think the last two or three games that the effort has been there, we just found a way to score some goals tonight," Tortorella said. "Getting three on the power play really helped."
New York is hopeful that Lundqvist will be back after Valiquette started Thursday and made 26 saves. Lundqvist, 8-5-1 with a 2.52 goals-against average, sat out with a stiff right thigh.
The Rangers also ended a four-game road slide. They have won two of their last three games at Calgary, but lost 4-3 on Jan. 2, 2008, in their first visit in more than five years.
Iginla had a strong road trip for Calgary with three goals and one assist. He has eight goals and three assists in his last seven games against the Rangers.
Calgary defenseman Robyn Regehr had a six-game assist streak snapped in Thursday's win. Regehr has eight points to match his total from 75 games last season.
From the Bleachers
-
NEW YORK: 1
CALGARY: 3
Final
Nov 8 12:34 AM -
NEW YORK: 1
CALGARY: 3
End of Regulation
Nov 8 12:34 AM -
NHL
NY RANGERS 1
CALGARY 3 03:25 LEFT, 3RD PRD
Nov 8 12:29 AM -
NEW YORK: 1
CALGARY: 2
End of 2nd
Nov 7 11:45 PM -
NHL
NY RANGERS 1
CALGARY 2 03:13 LEFT, 2ND PRD
Nov 7 11:39 PM -
NEW YORK: 1
CALGARY: 1
End of 1st
Nov 7 10:51 PM -
NHL
NY RANGERS 1
CALGARY 1 02:44 LEFT, 1ST PRD
Nov 7 10:47 PM -
NHL
NY RANGERS 0
CALGARY 1 16:04 LEFT, 1ST PRD
Nov 7 10:24 PM
