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Iginla, Tanguay lead Flames to comeback win over Wild

Oct 25, 2007 - 5:25 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Despite giving up three goals in the first 10 minutes, the Calgary Flames still became the first team to beat the Minnesota Wild in regulation.

Captain Jarome Iginla scored a goal and set up two others and Alex Tanguay had two tallies and an assist to spark the Flames' 5-3 comeback victory over the Wild on Wednesday night in a battle of Northwest Division foes.

Iginla has enjoyed a lot of success against Minnesota during his career, notching 22 goals - including seven game-winners - and 39 points in 36 games. He now has six tallies and a team-leading 16 points this season.

With Calgary trailing, 3-0, Iginla ignited the comeback with 9:27 remaining in the second period. After creating a turnover in the offensive zone, he fired a wrist shot past screened goaltender Niklas Backstrom for his sixth of the season.

"We weren't playing very well and it was such a big boost to get back into the game," Iginla said. "The guys on our team really sensed that we had a shot at this tonight."

A hustle play by defenseman Dion Phaneuf cut the deficit to 3-2 with 6:55 left in the second. The 22-year-old Phaneuf kept the puck in the zone and snapped a shot past the right pad of Backstrom.

Another defensive-zone turnover cost Minnesota its lead. After the Wild lost control of the puck behind the net, Iginla sent a weak backhander on goal. Tanguay corralled the rebound and put it into a vacant net to tie the game at 3-3.

The Flames carried their second-period momentum into the final session and took the lead at 3:46 with their fourth unanswered tally. Iginla sent a pass to Adrian Aucoin from behind the net, and the blue-liner launched a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that Tanguay deflected past Backstrom for a 4-3 edge.

It marked the third time on the night that Tanguay being in front of the net created a goal for Calgary.

"Tonight, we started skating," Tanguay said. "In order for us to be successful, me and Iginla talked about we need to be moving. We need to be skating. Tonight, we were skating, and when we do that, we're first on the puck. With his skill level, I think it's easy to make plays."

Defenseman Robyn Regehr added insurance, netting his first tally of the season at 8:03 to extend the Flames' advantage to 5-3.

After surrendering three goals on just seven shots in the opening period, Miikka Kiprusoff settled down. He finished with just 12 saves as his defense yielded just eight shots over the final 40 minutes.

"I thought that he's part of the solution," Calgary coach Mike Keenan said. "I think that he appreciated the fact that they had the chance to come back and win it for him. He had a very tough start. I think that's the response you get from a group that respectfully plays for each other."

Brian Rolston gave the Wild an early 1-0 lead on the power play at 3:16 of the first period. Pierre-Marc Bouchard controlled the puck, drawing the defense to the right side of the rink before sending a cross-ice pass to Rolston, who sent a one-time blast past Kiprusoff.

"I just think we stopped playing as a team toward the end of the middle of the second," Rolston said. "They seemed to get a few breaks that cost us, and it was kind of a snowball effect."

It was the fourth consecutive game in which Rolston scored with his blistering slap shot.

Just over two minutes later, Minnesota struck again on the man advantage. Defenseman Kim Johnsson unleashed a wrist shot from the high slot that Mark Parrish deflected past Kiprusoff low to the glove side for a 2-0 bulge.

The Wild continued to outwork the Flames in the first half of the opening session, and it paid off at the 9:41 mark. After working the cycle down low, Wes Walz and Branko Radivojevic executed a give-and-go that finished with Walz open in front of the net, beating Kiprusoff top shelf to extend the lead to three.

"Same old story. We played great that first period - skating, doing a lot of good stuff," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "When you look at their first goal, you'll understand when I say there's always something happening.

"We changed the game after that and didn't play well. They came out with their best period in the third that I've seen them play this year. They were disciplined, good changes, good with the puck."

Phaneuf finally gave Calgary fans a reason to cheer with 5:13 remaining in the first, when he unleashed a flurry of punches on Stephane Veilleux during a fight. Veilleux received a two-minute minor for instigating and also picked up a 10-minute misconduct.

The Flames had a golden opportunity to get back in the game early in the second period but failed to score on the 5-on-3 advantage. With Marian Gaborik and Rolston in the penalty box, the Wild killed off the penalties, allowing just one shot during the 1:42 span.