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Warrener's OT goal gives Flames 30th home win

Mar 23, 2007 - 6:50 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators were on their way to a hard-fought victory. Craig Conroy and defenseman Rhett Warrener fought a little harder for the Calgary Flames.

Conroy tied the game late in the third period and Warrener scored 87 seconds into overtime as the Flames rallied for a 3-2 triumph over the Predators.

Alex Tanguay had a goal and an assist and captain Jarome Iginla set up a pair of tallies for Calgary (39-25-10), which increased its lead over idle Colorado (38-29-6) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference to six points.

"You could tell they were desperate and need the points," Nashville's Peter Forsberg said. "It was a good hockey game with chances back and forth. It was a playoff-type hockey game. ... Give them credit, I think they played well and came away with two points."

With the Flames trailing, 2-1, Conroy received a fortunate bounce and forged a tie with 3:47 remaining in the third. Iginla unleashed a shot from the left faceoff circle that deflected off a defender to Conroy, who deposited the puck past goaltender Chris Mason from the doorstep for his 12th of the season.

"I was just trying to go hard to the net," Conroy said. "I thought I might get a rebound off the goalie and have it come right to me, but it was pretty much an open net and I just had to chip it in."

"It was definitely a good bounce," Iginla added. "I was trying to shoot it and it went off a stick or between a leg and right to (Conroy)."

After Stephane Yelle won a faceoff in the left circle of the offensive zone, Warrener alertly headed in front of the net. From along the left wing boards, Tanguay completed a pass to the blue-liner, who redirected it between Mason's pads to clinch the Flames' league-leading 30th home victory.

"It was great coaching by (assistant) Rich Preston," Warrener said. "He made the call, he said, 'Go to the front.' I didn't know what I was doing. I was just about to leave and Alex passed it. ... It hit my stick and trickled in. I think Mason would like to have it back."

"I think that Stephane Yelle winning the faceoff in the offensive zone in overtime was huge," Flames coach Jim Playfair said. "Rhett having the sense of mind to read off of Alex and be patient and stay there, I thought that was an important play, obviously."

Warrener's decision even caught Iginla off-guard.

"I was a little surprised," Iginla said. "He's not usually sitting in the crease at any time, especially 4-on-4. We had the right guy with the puck to get it to him."

Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves for Calgary, which halted a four-game home slide and eight-game skid overall against Nashville.

"It feels great because we got a win against a team we haven't played very well against," Warrener said. "To get a win in a key game is good for everyone."

"It's big no matter who we're playing," Iginla added. "But after not beating Nashville for so long, it's something that is something to gain some momentum (from) and get us feeling better again."

Jason Arnott and Vernon Fiddler scored off feeds from Forsberg for the Predators (47-21-7), who remained one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings (45-19-10) for first place in both the conference and Central Division.

"I thought we played a real solid game," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "I don't have any complaints about the way we played other than obviously we didn't get the two points. ... Tonight, they had a little bit of luck on their side, but I thought we played pretty well."

Arnott opened the scoring midway through the first period, cashing in during a power play with his sixth goal against Calgary in four meetings this season.

"I thought I had another one and Kiprusoff came across and made an unbelievable save," Arnott said. "But that's him, he's an unbelievable goaltender. You have to place the puck to beat him. I don't know what it is, I guess I just have good luck against (the Flames)."

Nashville held the lead for just 1:40, however, as Tanguay converted a slap pass by Iginla from low in the left circle for a man-advantage tally.

After a scoreless second period, Forsberg helped give the Predators a 2-1 edge with a brilliant backhand pass from along the right wing boards to Fiddler, who tapped the puck past Kiprusoff from the doorstep 43 seconds into the third.

Mason preserved the lead with 10 1/2 minutes remaining in the session, making a superb left pad save on Kristian Huselius' shot from the right side of the net.