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Hornqvist, Ellis help Predators beat Flames 1-0

Jan 16, 2010 - 6:18 AM CALGARY, Alberta(AP) -- Patric Hornqvist and the Nashville Predators slipped past the Calgary Flames to complete a three-game Western Canada sweep.

Hornqvist scored with 6:22 left, and Dan Ellis made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season in Nashville's 1-0 victory over Calgary on Friday night.

The Predators have won three straight and seven of their last eight. Hornqvist also had the winning goal Tuesday night in a 5-1 victory in Edmonton. Nashville opened the trip with a 3-2 victory over Vancouver on Tuesday night.

Steve Sullivan set up the goal, gaining control behind the net and feeding Hornqvist at the edge of the crease. Hornqvist knocked the puck past Miikka Kiprusoff for his team-high 19th goal of the season and sixth in his last six games.

"Everything's going right for me," Hornqvist said. "It wasn't really even a good opportunity to score, but Sully made a good pass and it went in. I'm getting lots of good bounces right now. I've got to keep going in front of the net and work hard every night and hopefully get good bounces next game, too."

The Swede was selected last overall in the 2005 draft.

"They've given me lots of chances here," Hornqvist said. "You have to take the opportunities that they give you."

Hornqvist has six game-winning goals this season.

"Hornqvist has been one of our best players this year," Ellis said. "We can always count on him to be aggressive, to get in front of the net, to cause havoc and to score big goals. Tonight was just another one of those nights for him."

The Flames have lost three in a row and are 1-4-1 in their last six.

"We've got the defensive side of the game going very well, we're getting great goaltending, guys are blocking a lot of shots and getting the shots down," Calgary star Jarome Iginla said. "It's no secret we need to score goals. It's obviously a tough drought, but you've got to stay positive. Keep believing it's going to go the next shift, the next game and it will."

Kiprusoff made 20 saves for Calgary.

"We're having a tough time scoring goals right now but it will change," Kiprusoff said. "Look at our lineup, we have a lot of guys who can score goals so probably next game it will open up and we'll be fine."

NOTES: Flames star Jarome Iginla has gone six games without a point. ... Calgary's Brian McGrattan and Nashville's Wade Belak dropped the gloves early in the first period for their third fight against each other this season. Calgary leads the NHL in fighting majors with 50, while Nashville is last with 13, five involving Belak. ... Nashville captain Jason Arnott missed his fourth straight game because of an upper-body injury.