Blue Jackets 4 - 3 Flames
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Flames welcome Blue Jackets to Calgary

Dec 1, 2011 - 3:58 PM (Sports Network) - One of the reasons the Calgary Flames sit last in the Northwest Division has been their inability to string together victories. A visit from the Columbus Blue Jackets could help the Flames secure the momentum is desperately needs.

Calgary seeks to win three in a row for the first time this season in a meeting with struggling Columbus at the Saddledome.

The Flames snapped a three-game slide with a victory at the Wild on Sunday and then won two straight for only the second time this season after securing Tuesday's 1-0 victory over the Predators.

Miikka Kiprusoff turned aside 26 shots for his first shutout of the season and 41st of his career. Derek Smith scored his first career goal for the Flames, who haven't notched three consecutive victories since April 1-6 of last season.

"We made sure we were focused like we needed to be, when you play Nashville you need to stay with your game and be patient," said Calgary head coach Brent Sutter.

The victory evened Calgary's home record to 5-5-1 on the season, but it will play tonight without defenseman Mark Giordano because of a hamstring ailment.

The blueliner had the lone Flames goal when the club visited the Blue Jackets on Nov. 21 and suffered a 4-1 defeat. While these two clubs have split their last 10 encounters, Columbus has dropped two straight and eight of its last 10 in Calgary.

Jeff Carter scored twice for the Blue Jackets against the Flames, but he and the rest of the offense were mostly shut down by the Canucks' Cory Schneider on Tuesday. Despite launching 48 shots on net, a club record in a regulation game, the Blue Jackets were handed a 4-1 defeat.

Samuel Pahlsson scored the lone Columbus goal while shorthanded and Fedor Tyutin logged an assist for a third straight game for the Blue Jackets, who have lost two straight since a 3-0-2 run.

Curtis Sanford made 30 saves in the loss.

"We had a lot of shots and a lot of good chances, but Schneider was sharp," said Pahlsson. "We lost some battles early, but I thought we played a pretty good game."

Columbus lost the opener of a four-game swing through Canada and is only 1-8-2 as the visiting team this year.

Scoring first could help the Blue Jackets secure their second road win of the season. Columbus allowed the first goal on Tuesday for the 14th time this year and fell to 1-11-2 after doing so.






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