• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Kiprusoff, Flames hand Avalanche a rare home loss

Nov 25, 2007 - 4:01 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Miikka Kiprusoff and a stifling defense allowed the Calgary Flames to climb back to .500 and defeat one of the NHL's best teams at home.

Kiprusoff made 21 saves and five different players scored as the Flames defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 5-2, on Saturday for the second time in four days.

Jarome Iginla and defenseman Cory Sarich each had two assists for Calgary, which has won four of its last six contests to pull to 10-10-3 on the season.

"We looked at the standings and we're four (points) behind them and also four points from the bottom," Iginla said. "I thought tonight we tried to bring it like a playoff game, and it was a real big one for us.

"I thought we were real physical and I thought everyone was skating well from the start. We were ready to play tonight."

The Avalanche, who entered the contest with a franchise-best 9-1-0 record at the Pepsi Center this season, had not lost at home since November 3 against the Vancouver Canucks.

The 31-year-old Kiprusoff, who has started all 23 of the Flames' games this season, has not faced more than 23 shots in each of his last five contests. Despite the stingy defense in front of him, Kiprusoff has yet to record a shutout this campaign after combining for 17 blankings over the past two seasons.

"You have to stay focused and ready," Kiprusoff said. "I think it's been getting better and better, we've minimized their scoring chances. We only allowed seven shots through two periods and that's pretty good."

Trailing 4-0, Avalanche captain Joe Sakic ended Kiprusoff's bid for his 25th career shutout when he tallied his sixth goal of the season at the 3:17 mark of the final session.

"The way we lost and the way we came out and played, it's not acceptable," Sakic said. "People pay good money to come out and watch us play, and it was just an embarrassing performance by us."

Calgary severely outplayed Colorado in the first period, taking a 2-0 lead into the intermission. The Flames put 12 shots on goal to the Avalanche's four.

After receiving a perfect centering pass from Iginla, Daymond Langkow gave the Flames a 1-0 edge at 8:04 with a backhand shot that beat Avalanche goaltender Jose Theodore on the stick side.

Later, with time winding down in the opening period, Matthew Lombardi doubled the lead when Sarich found him alone in front of the net and he punched a shot between Theodore's pads with 74 seconds remaining.

Calgary did not let up in the middle session. Blue-liner Adrian Aucoin found an open spot in the Colorado defense in the center of the left circle and slapped a one-timer past Theodore in a 4-on-4 situation that gave Calgary a 3-0 advantage at 7:28.

Just under three minutes later, Stephane Yelle scored his first goal of the season on a flimsy shot that bounced off Theodore's glove and into the net for a 4-0 Flames lead.

Calgary enjoyed a 27-7 advantage in shots on goal through two periods.

"We've been trying to keep it as low as possible," Calgary's Craig Conroy said. "It's one of the best games we've played this year. We were physical out there and that's what we need to do to be successful."

Conroy added an insurance goal - his fourth of the season - at 7:44 of third period to give Calgary a 5-1 advantage.