Flames 2 - 1 Avalanche
Final
  for this game

Desperate Flames take on Avs

Apr 3, 2011 - 3:36 PM (Sports Network) - The Calgary Flames will try to boost their fading playoff chances when they visit the lowly Colorado Avalanche for tonight's battle at the Pepsi Center.

The Flames have just three games left in the regular season and are still trailing Chicago by three points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Blackhawks, who are hosting Tampa Bay tonight, have two games in hand over Calgary, as do the Dallas Stars, who are two points in back of the Flames. The Stars are also playing tonight in Anaheim.

Calgary's captain came through with a clutch performance in his club's most recent game on Friday. Jarome Iginla's goal with 5:03 to play -- his second tally of the game -- was not only the game-winner in the Flames' 3-2 decision in St. Louis, but it also represented the 1,000th point of his career.

Iginla, Calgary's all-time leading scorer, has 39 goals and 80 points on the season.

"To win that game it keeps our hopes alive," said Iginla. "We want to make sure we're doing our part in trying to keep those chances alive. We want to put the pressure on them to win games, as opposed to us losing games for them."

Iginla finished with two goals and an assist while Alex Tanguay had a goal and two assists for the Flames, who had dropped four of five coming into Friday's game. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 25 shots in the win.

Calgary is playing its final road game of the regular season tonight and is 17-16-7 as the visiting club this year. The Flames will complete their schedule with home tests against Edmonton and Vancouver.

Colorado, which is seeded 14th out of 15 teams in the West, ended a four-game slide its last time out, posting a shootout win Friday in Phoenix.

Ryan O'Reilly scored the tying goal late in regulation before netting the winner in the shootout. Colorado had blown a two-goal lead but rebounded to top Phoenix, 4-3.

Philippe Dupuis and Jay McClement tallied in regulation for the Avalanche. Peter Budaj stopped 35 shots through 65 minutes of play, then all three chances in the shootout to snag the win.

Colorado has a 15-19-4 record as the host this year and has dropped 10 of its last 11 games on home ice.

After losing a 6-5 home test to Colorado on Oct. 28, the Flames have recorded four straight wins in this series, and have outscored the Avs by a 14-3 margin over the last two meetings.

Calgary has taken six of seven overall in this series and has won four straight in Denver.






Related News