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Iginla, Huselius lead Flames past Oilers

Oct 21, 2007 - 5:53 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Calgary Flames drew first blood in this season's "Battle of Alberta."

Jarome Iginla scored the go-ahead goal and added two assists as the Flames posted a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Kristian Huselius netted a tally and set up another for Calgary, which improved to 4-0-1 in its last five games.

"I think for our team, it means a lot to beat those guys," Iginla said. "They're always emotional games."

Miikka Kiprusoff barely broke a sweat while stopping 18 shots for the Flames.

"There's no secret that the fans are into it a little bit more," Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf said of the provincial battle. "There's definitely a lot on the line being in the same province. They're big points in the standings anytime you play divisional rivals such as these guys."

The only drawback for Calgary was the fact it failed to extend its impressive goal-scoring streak. The Flames entered this game having seen at least one player score twice in an NHL-record seven straight contests.

The Flames took a 2-1 lead on a beautiful play by Daymond Langkow, who skated around the right side of the net and found Iginla in front. Calgary's captain was set up perfectly and beat goaltender Dwayne Roloson to the right side with 11:49 left in the second period.

Iginla also played a key role in Calgary taking an early lead as he assisted on a power-play goal by Huselius.

The 12-year veteran passed the puck from the blue line to Huselius, who was parked at the side of the net and beat Roloson to the glove side just 61 seconds into the game.

Edmonton responded at 13:34 as Sam Gagner tallied his first career goal, tying the game at 1-1. Shawn Horcoff flipped over a pass over to Gagner, who punched it in from the bottom of the left faceoff circle on the Oilers' second shot of the game.

Already holding a 2-1 lead, Calgary got an insurance goal on the power play as Phaneuf, who was in the crease, knocked in a pass from Huselius with 4:38 remaining.

The Flames then took advantage of another power-play chance as blue-liner Adrian Aucoin drilled a one-timer that beat Roloson between the pads at 18:05.

"It's a big win for us and a good start for this homestand," Huselius said. "There were some big goals on the power play. We want to play as well as we did last year at home. We had a sloppy start. Now we're putting things together."

The Oilers failed to convert with the man advantage, going 0-for-6, while the Flames were 3-for-7 with the extra skater.

"Unfortunately, their power play did a number on us," Roloson said. "We weren't able to get anything on the power play. We had some chances, but they sort of eliminated any second or third shots that we were going to get."

Roloson stopped 30 shots for Edmonton, which has lost five of six.

"The way they play defense, the way Kipper plays, it's tough to come back when you're down," Roloson said. "We got out of the first period even. We played well 5-on-5."