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Iginla, Huselius net hat tricks as Flames beat Lightning

Dec 14, 2007 - 5:22 AM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- It's been 3 1/2 years since the Calgary Flames played at the St. Pete Times Forum. They certainly were not intimidated by the unfamiliar surroundings.

Captain Jarome Iginla and Kristian Huselius each tallied hat tricks and defenseman Dion Phaneuf added five assists as the Flames won a wild one over the Tampa Bay Lightning, 9-6, on Thursday.

Making their first trip to Tampa since Game Seven of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, the Flames combined with the Lightning for seven goals in the first period alone - more than the total of any game during their Finals series.

"It was definitely a strange game," Iginla said. "We've had a lot of different ones against these guys over the years."

Huselius got Calgary on the board first at 4:38 of the first, when he took a pass from Daymond Langkow along the right wing boards and skated to the middle of the ice before firing a wrist shot past goaltender Johan Holmqvist for a 1-0 advantage.

Vincent Lecavalier tied the game at 7:58, when he worked a 2-on-1 with Vaclav Prospal before firing a one-timer past netminder Miikka Kiprusoff's glove side from the right faceoff circle.

The Lightning took a brief 2-1 lead 10 seconds later on tough guy Andre Roy's third goal of the season - and second in as many games. It was the two quickest goals at home in franchise history for Tampa Bay.

But the lead would not hold as the Flames poured in three goals over the next five minutes to take a 4-2 advantage.

"I think, obviously, both teams are skilled offensively, but I think, for us anyways, just not protecting the middle and giving them too many scoring chances from right in front of our net and them capitalizing on them," Lightning rookie defenseman Mike Lundin said.

"It was a fluky game, lot of bouncing pucks and stuff. We didn't quite bear down on them maybe quite enough."

Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella pulled Holmqvist after Langkow's tally with 6:55 remaining in the period capped the three-goal outburst. Holmqvist, who made just two saves on six shots, was replaced by Marc Denis.

"Just right from the start, the goals, (Huselius) had some great goals to get us a boost and to give up a two-goal lead on the road (and still win)," Iginla said. "I thought Phaneuf was a big boost for us there.

"It feels good, you know what, anytime you win. It wasn't by the book. Both sides were making some mistakes, there were a lot of bouncing pucks that were turning into 2-on-1s and breakaways."

The Lightning fought back to tie the game at 4-4 as Martin St. Louis and Prospal tallied, but Huselius' third goal of the night put the Flames ahead with 7:44 remaining in the second. It marked the first hat trick of the Swede's career.

Tampa Bay battled to knot the contest on two more occasions, but Iginla - who also had an assist - took over in the final period, scoring three times to notch his sixth career hat trick. He now has 20 goals on the season and ranks second in the league with 43 points.

"You don't like getting scored on," Phaneuf said. "That's the bottom line, but sometimes those games, it's the way it goes. It's just a big win for our hockey club, and a character win, too. Those games aren't the easiest to play in.

"They're back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It's a must-win game for us, and we have to win games at this time of the year and keep taking strides to push into the playoffs."

Phaneuf entered the contest with just 12 assists in 31 games this season but set up five of the last eight goals of the night for the Flames.

Lecavalier finished with a goal and two assists, increasing his NHL-leading points total to 48. St. Louis added two tallies and an assist while defenseman Shane O'Brien collected three assists.

"It was just one of those nights," O'Brien said. "I gave it to guys and they put it in the net. I didn't do anything special. It was a weird night. Unfortunately, we gave up nine, so figure that out. It was one of those nights you can't explain, but you've got to forget about it and move on."