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Cammalleri's hat trick helps Flames jolt Sabres

Jan 29, 2009 - 5:19 AM CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The All-Star break did not slow down Mike Cammalleri.

Cammalleri recorded his second career hat trick as the Calgary Flames scored three times in the third period to post a 5-2 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.

Todd Bertuzzi and defenseman Dion Phaneuf also tallied and All-Star Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy notched two assists apiece for Calgary, which recorded its ninth win in its last 10 games at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Miikka Kiprusoff turned aside 25 shots en route to his league-leading 29th win of the season.

"In the third period, we controlled the game pretty much," Kiprusoff said. "They had a couple of chances and they hit the post a few of times. We were lucky there, too."

Tim Connolly recorded a goal and an assist and Drew Stafford netted his fourth tally in two days for Buffalo, which fell to 4-2-0 in its last six games.

"We had some big (turnovers)," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We had some big ones by some players that have played pretty well for us, so you put those behind you and you have to be ready to win the next game.

"Turnovers were an issue. But for the most part, the second period was pretty solid. We got our feet back on the ground and let it slip away."

Ryan Miller made 38 saves for Buffalo.

"We did a great job in the second period of getting back into it," Miller said. "They bailed me out after a bad goal, and no matter what the shots on goal are, it's my job to keep the boys in the game and give the boys a chance to win. Unfortunately, I don't feel like I did that tonight."

Cammalleri, who opened the scoring during a power play just 3:51 into the contest, scored 84 seconds apart in the third period to cap his second hat trick of the season. He also scored three goals in Calgary's 4-3 victory over Northwest Division foe Vancouver on November 27.

The three goals on Wednesday increased Cammalleri's total for the month of January to a league-best 11. He has a team-leading 25 tallies this season.

"It's going in for me right now," Cammalleri said. "It feels pretty good when the puck's going in like that, and it does a lot for the confidence."

"I've seen Jarome have some great stretches and do some great things. I've seen Cammy score a lot of goals in L.A., too, but this is the best stretch I've ever seen him have," Conroy said. "He just looks so confident. Even when he says he doesn't feel that great, he still scores two goals. He's rolling. It's great to see, and hopefully this can continue the rest of the season."

With the game tied at 2-2 at 7:08 of the third, Bertuzzi settled a lead pass from defenseman Adrian Aucoin and skated in on Miller. The 33-year-old Bertuzzi wristed a shot over the netminder's right shoulder and under the crossbar for his 12th goal of the season.

"The puck was rolling around quite a bit, so I wanted to make sure I got a decent play off," Bertuzzi said. "That one was instinct. I wasn't expecting the puck to be rolling around that much. I ended up getting enough of it. I thought I'd change it up and try the forehand roof. I'm glad it worked out."

Cammalleri netted the first goal of the game after Miller was unable to corral the rebound of his initial shot. The 26-year-old calmly collected the puck and wristed it between the goalie's pads.

"I've played a lot of games in college against Ryan Miller, and he's never given me one of those," Cammalleri said. "He's always been the opposite, ultra-stingy. So it was nice to get one lucky one on him."

Phaneuf doubled the advantage 4:10 into the second period, taking advantage of Buffalo defenseman Chris Butler's turnover.

The Flames' blue-liner grabbed the puck in the neutral zone, raced up the left wing and wristed a sharp-angle shot that handcuffed Miller. The puck slid between the netminder's pads and trickled over the goal line for Phaneuf's fifth goal of the campaign.

One day after recording his second career hat trick in the Sabres' 10-2 drubbing of the Edmonton Oilers, Stafford halved the deficit with 8:17 remaining in the second period.

"Last night, they were going in for us. We wanted to carry that into tonight," Stafford said. "In the third period, we stopped getting pucks to the net and they capitalized on their chances.

"It was the complete opposite tonight. We had a great second period getting back to tie it up. We just couldn't carry it over to the third."

Connolly leveled the contest with 51 seconds left in the session, when his wrist shot from the left faceoff circle beat Kiprusoff for his sixth goal in five games.