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Flames power past Canucks, into first in Northwest

Mar 26, 2008 - 6:06 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Calgary Flames took advantage of their late opportunities and climbed into first place in the Northwest Division.

Daymond Langkow and defenseman Dion Phaneuf scored power-play goals 41 seconds apart midway through the third period, lifting the Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.

Captain Jarome Iginla also tallied for Calgary (40-27-10), which erased an early two-goal deficit and moved one point ahead of idle Minnesota (40-28-9) for the top spot in the Northwest.

"It was good to see the power play score some timely goals," Phaneuf said. "That one from Langks was really a key for us."

"Our best players were our best players tonight," Flames coach Mike Keenan said. "It was a strange game. We started with some energy but just couldn't get untracked. But we were able to withstand their opportunities. It was a difficult game. But it put us in first. Now we have to wait for a couple of days to see where we stand."

Calgary does not return to action until Saturday, when hosts Edmonton.

Markus Naslund and Daniel Sedin scored for the Canucks (38-28-10), who fell four points behind the Flames.

"To win in this league, you have to play 60 minutes," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We played 20. ... We weren't very good in the second (period), and in the third, (we) got caught with too many men and some other penalties."

Entering with six wins in its last nine games, Vancouver jumped to a 2-0 lead as Naslund and Sedin scored 12 seconds apart. Naslund jammed in a rebound at 9:29 for a power-play goal, while Sedin unleashed a shot that caromed off goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff's skate and into the net moments later for his 28th of the campaign.

Iginla halved the deficit at 2:11 of the second. The veteran netted his 49th of the season after a loose puck slid across the crease to the left side.

"We got into some trouble early, but we knew the opponent," Iginla said. "We knew that, if anything, we were too excited. We came in after the first (period) and regrouped. We just went out and let it go after that. We came back and cut their lead in half and then just kept on driving."

"We had a strong first and knew they would be coming at us," Vancouver netminder Roberto Luongo said.

With the Canucks down two skaters, Alex Tanguay made a pass from the right faceoff circle to Langkow, who redirected it past Luongo from the top of the crease at 10:46 of the third.

"It's such a tough play for the goaltender," Tanguay said. "I've got the puck and I've got different options. I don't think he had much of chance to react to it."

Calgary remained on the power play and cashed in at 11:27, when Phaneuf received a feed as Vancouver was caught on a line change and blasted a shot past Luongo high to the stick side from the top of the left circle for his 17th of the campaign and a 3-2 edge.

"I had a little room and was able to walk right into the shot," Phaneuf said. "I stepped into it. I knew I had to get it up in a hurry and had a little room."

"It was a great shot," Luongo admitted. "He came down the wing and got all of it. He found the spot he needed to and it went in."

Calgary finished 2-for-7 on the power play.

"You can't spend as much time in the (penalty) box as we did and expect to win," Vigneault said.

Kiprusoff made 32 saves for the Flames, who improved to 7-0-2 in their last nine home games.

Luongo stopped 37 shots for Vancouver, which fell to 26-1-1 when leading after two periods.