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Huselius' last-minute goal ends Flames' skid

Nov 14, 2007 - 6:34 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Kristian Huselius helped the Calgary Flames end a miserable stretch.

Huselius scored the game-winning goal with 53 seconds remaining in the third period as the Flames snapped a five-game slide with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

Captain Jarome Iginla and defenseman Dion Phaneuf also tallied for Calgary, which improved to 9-1-1 in its last 11 home meetings with Minnesota.

Huselius, who also had an assist, took an outlet pass from Daymond Langkow and beat goaltender Niklas Backstrom low to the glove side. It was Huselius' eighth goal of the season.

"I saw (David) Moss going to the net," Huselius said. "I think (Backstrom) thought I was going to pass because it looked like he cheated a little to the middle."

The Flames took a 1-0 lead into the final session, but a pair of goals by Mikko Koivu put the Wild on top midway through the period.

An excellent hustle play by Mark Parrish helped Koivu tie the game at 3:17 of the third. Parrish won a race to the puck with Phaneuf along the right wing boards and sent a centering feed to Koivu.

Koivu appeared to fan on the shot, but he slid into the puck and knocked it past netminder Miikka Kiprusoff to knot the contest at 1-1. The play was not reviewed.

Koivu completed his third career two-goal game midway through the period, deflecting defenseman Petteri Nummelin's wrist shot from the right faceoff circle past Kiprusoff during a power play at 9:52 to give the Wild a 2-1 edge.

It took Calgary just 21 seconds to respond. Iginla skated into the offensive zone and blasted a slap shot that went off defenseman Brent Burns' stick and past Backstrom.

"We got a lucky bounce to go our way to get back into the game," Iginla said. "It was a huge boost. We weren't happy with a tie and we were trying to push it right to the end. It sure feels good to get things going."

Koivu was unable to explain the Wild's fortunes lately in Calgary.

"I don't put much into superstitions or curses," Koivu said. "Things happen, it's just something you've got to work through."

Wild coach Jacques Lemaire wonders what it will take to reverse the recent trend.

"You're wondering what you have to do to get a win here," Lemaire said. "The guys played well, they played hard. Thought we had them, but they always somehow come out on top."

Phaneuf's power-play tally - his fourth of the season - with 4:17 remaining in the first period gave the Flames a 1-0 lead.

Kiprusoff, who has started each of the Flames' 18 games this season, made 25 saves.

"(Kiprusoff) played pretty well," said Koivu, who now has five goals on the season. "He looked like the same old Kiprusoff we're used to seeing."

Backstrom stopped 25 shots for Minnesota, which has dropped seven of its last nine contests.