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Hurricanes hold on for shootout win versus Calgary

Jan 12, 2011 - 5:09 AM Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Jeff Skinner scored the lone goal of the shootout, helping the Carolina Hurricanes avoid disaster in a 6-5 victory over the Calgary Flames.

The Hurricanes held a 5-2 lead late in the second period before the Flames stormed back to tie the game. Carolina couldn't take advantage of a power play or a terrific late chance in overtime, but Skinner and Cam Ward posted big performances in the shootout to give the Hurricanes their third consecutive win.

Ward made 27 saves, while Jussi Jokinen finished with two goals and an assist in the win. Jokinen had missed the last six games with an upper-body injury.

Calgary goaltender Henrik Karlsson enabled the Flames' comeback by stopping 21-of-22 shots in relief of Miikka Kiprusoff. But he wasn't able to stop Skinner as the Flames lost their fourth consecutive game, and second in a row in the shootout.

Calgary looked like it was headed toward a blowout loss after Jokinen tipped in Tim Gleason's point shot with 5:10 left in the second period, giving Carolina the 5-2 edge.

But the Flames started their comeback just under two minutes later, when a turnover in the Carolina end led to a Niklas Hagman goal.

Calgary set the tempo early in the third period, and it paid off when Curtis Glencross beat Ward to the glove side 91 seconds in, narrowing the deficit to 5-4.

The Flames continued to pressure and pulled even at the 7:39 mark. Rene Bourque tossed the puck on net from the right boards, then raced in as two players and Ward fought for control. The struggle freed the puck for Bourque, who pushed it into an open net.

Every regulation goal was even-strength, and Carolina failed to convert a power-play chance that started when Bourque went to the box for slashing at the 2:38 mark of overtime.

While Calgary killed that man-advantage, the Hurricanes were still pressuring the Flames' net as time wound down. With about 15 seconds to play and Karlsson scrambling, Jokinen received a pass in the slot and blasted a one-timer. But Karlsson stopped it point-blank, allowing the contest to go to the shootout.

Karlsson, however, was fooled by Skinner's shootout move. The 18-year-old rookie deked with a stutter-step to throw Karlsson off, then snapped a shot over his glove.

Skinner was Carolina's second shooter, and Ward stopped shots by Ales Kotalik and Hagman to secure the victory.

"I'm happy that we won and that we got two points," said Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice. "That's a game where both coaches need a shower right after, because you just do not feel good about yourself at all."

Both teams scored twice in a hectic, back-and-forth first period. Jay Bouwmeester put Calgary on the board at 4:13, and Tuomo Ruutu got Carolina started at 11:46 by tipping in Chad LaRose's shot from the right circle.

Jarome Iginla stuffed in his own rebound at 13:06 to put the Flames back in front, while Jokinen's one-timer several minutes later evened the contest.

Erik Cole scored the first of three consecutive Carolina goals at 2:16 of the second period, after a pass from behind the net sneaked by Kiprusoff and Bouwmeester.

Eric Staal's backhander hit the stick of Flames defenseman Mark Giordano before going through Kiprusoff's pads at 5:37, making it a 4-2 game and forcing a change in Calgary's net.

Kiprusoff allowed four goals on eight shots.

Game Notes

Iginla picked up his 500th career assist when he helped out on Bouwmeester's tally...Calgary went 0-for-2 on the power play, while Carolina was 0-for-5 -- including a 5-on-3...Hagman and Bourque had not scored since December 16.