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Calgary tops Columbus, climbs in standings

Mar 5, 2011 - 6:50 AM Calgary, AB (Sports Network) - Curtis Glencross had a goal and two assists as the Calgary Flames took a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Rene Bourque and Olli Jokinen each had a goal and an assist while Jarome Iginla also scored for the Flames, who jumped from the eighth spot to fifth place in the Western Conference.

Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 37 shots as Calgary won for the third time in the past four games.

"Through this whole process, we've been getting contributions from everyone and different times different guys have stepped up," said Calgary head coach Brent Sutter. "I thought our top guys really started playing well in St. Louis. I was proud of everyone, just the gutsy effort that everyone had tonight."

Antoine Vermette had a goal and an assist while Jan Hejda and Craig Rivet also lit the lamp for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped their past four games. Steve Mason stopped 24 shots in the loss.

The Blue Jackets had two penalty shots awarded to them in the game, but missed on both opportunities. It was the first time a team missed two penalty shots in one game since the Rangers missed two against the Red Wings on February 16, 1986.

"We had more than our share of opportunities to equal that game tonight," said Columbus head coach Scott Arneil. "Their guy was better, there's no doubt -- he made some gigantic stops."

With the score tied at 2-2 in the second, Calgary grabbed the lead with a power-play marker when Bourque backhanded home a rebound from a sharp angle at the right side at the 8:48 mark.

Less than two minutes later, again on the power play, a shot from the left point by Anton Babchuk was redirected past Mason by Glencross in front.

Columbus' first penalty shot came less than two minutes later when Matt Calvert was awarded the free shot, but he missed it.

Columbus did make it a one-goal game 6:34 into the third as a slap shot from Hejda at the left point just before the puck crossed the blue line saw the puck sail into the right corner.

Vermette then had a chance to tie the game as he was given a penalty shot at the 9:25 mark, but Kiprusoff made the save.

Columbus got Mason out of the net for an extra attacker with just over a minute to play, but Kiprusoff made several stops, including a Rick Nash shot and the follow-up, to save the victory.

Rivet scored 3:45 into the game while Jokinen posted his 14th marker of the season at the 8:13 mark.

Iginla scored 44 seconds later for his 29th goal of the season while Vermette evened the score less than two minutes into the second.

Game Notes

R.J. Umberger missed a penalty shot in Columbus' loss to Edmonton on Thursday...Columbus wraps up its five-game road trip on Monday against St. Louis...Calgary hosts Nashville on Sunday...The Flames took three of the four games against Columbus this season...Calgary was 2-for-7 on the power play while Columbus went 0-for-3.