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Flames score three unanswered to beat Oilers

Dec 4, 2011 - 8:11 AM Edmonton, AB (Sports Network) - Mikael Backlund scored the game-winner midway through the third period, pushing the Flames past the Oilers, 5-3.

Olli Jokinen scored twice, while Derek Smith and Rene Bourque each added a goal and an assist for Calgary, which has won seven straight against its Northwest Division rival.

Miikka Kiprusoff made 26 saves to earn the victory.

Lennart Petrell, Sam Gagner and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all scored for Edmonton, which has lost four of five overall.

"We've got to work on discipline and relying on our game plan," Oilers head coach Tom Renney said.

Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 27-of-31 shots, but watched Backlund's shot from between the circles trickle between his pads with 9:35 remaining.

Jokinen added the clinching empty-netter with 31.1 seconds showing.

Edmonton scored twice in the first three minutes, the first getting credited to Petrell for a re-direct in front at 2:19 and the other coming on a wrister from Gagner.

Jokinen halved the deficit with a power-play tally just 49 seconds later, and Bourque scored while falling to the ice at the 6:45 mark.

"They got two quick ones and we rebounded quickly to get right back in it," Flames forward Jarome Iginla said.

The early shootout gave way to a scoreless second before Nugent-Hopkins' rebound gave the Oilers the lead 5:27 into the final stanza.

Smith answered just 44 seconds later with a quick wrister from the left side.

Game Notes

Edmonton went 0-for-6 on the power play...Calgary scored twice on three chances with the man advantage, including Backlund's game-winner.