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Flames try to bounce back after tough loss

Apr 17, 2008 - 1:51 PM Calgary at San Jose 10:00 pm EDT Western Conference quarterfinals Series tied, 2-2

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - The Calgary Flames missed a golden opportunity to take a commanding lead in the Western Conference quarterfinals.

The seventh-seeded Flames look to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss on Thursday when they face the second-seeded San Jose Sharks in Game Five of the best-of-seven series.

Joe Thornton scored his first goal of this postseason with under 10 seconds remaining in the third period as the Sharks evened the series, two games apiece, with a 3-2 triumph over the Flames in Game Four on Tuesday.

"Joe struggled mightily for two periods, but we hung in there," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "I thought that we played a tremendous game here on the road in a huge game.

"I can't ask for anything more from our team, and Joe hung in there and found a way. I'm very proud of him."

Ryane Clowe scored his NHL-leading fourth goal of the playoffs and Jonathan Cheechoo also tallied for San Jose, which trailed, 2-1, with five minutes left in the third period.

"We talked all season, it's not who you're playing, it's how (you're playing)," Sharks coach Ron Wilson said. "We had the 'how' down pat (on Tuesday) and it was only a matter of time."

San Jose held Calgary to just 10 total shots on goal, leading Flames coach Mike Keenan to criticize his team's effort.

"Anytime you get outshot, 32-10, at home that means you didn't come to work, that you didn't put in the effort to get the results that you earned," he said. "We didn't put the effort in and sustain the effort throughout the game to put them away when we had the opportunity."

Flames captain Jarome Iginla echoed his coach's thoughts.

"We didn't compete as hard as we can and we got outworked, it's that plain and simple," Iginla said. "It's not Xs and Os, we just got beat in more battles."