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Niedermayer scores twice as Ducks edge Flames

Feb 12, 2009 - 7:34 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Defenseman Scott Niedermayer gave fellow All-Star Jean-Sebastien Giguere something to smile about for the first time in a while.

Niedermayer scored a pair of goals, including the winner 55 seconds into overtime, as the Anaheim Ducks edged the Calgary Flames, 3-2, on Wednesday.

Brendan Morrison also tallied and Giguere turned aside 21 shots to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since December 7-10 for the Ducks, who had posted a 2-1 victory over the Flames on Saturday.

"It feels good. It's nice to get a big win like this," Giguere said. "Two big ones against a good team. Hopefully, we can use this as a springboard for us. We're doing a lot of good things out there. If we keep playing that same way, we're going to win more than we're going to lose."

Todd Bertuzzi and Curtis Glencross netted goals and Miikka Kiprusoff made 37 saves for Calgary, which has lost nine straight contests at the Honda Center.

"It was a tough loss. I have to be happy with one point," Kiprusoff said. "We had our chances there, but I think we also have to play a little tighter defense. They had too many chances tonight."

Niedermayer struck for the second time in this one early in the extra session, weaving through the defense and unleashing a backhander from the doorstep that beat Kiprusoff. Still, it was the Ducks' strong defensive effort that doused the Flames.

"(The wins) are all big for us where we are right now," Niedermayer said. "We need every point we can get. We see the standings. Kiprusoff played well, there's no doubt about it. I think it was good on our part that we kept doing the things you need to do."

Calgary has been held to 16 goals throughout its skid in Anaheim, which dates back to April 4, 2004. The team has not scored more than twice in any of its past five visits to the Honda Center.

The Flames' slumbering offense still could not break out against Giguere, who has started three straight games for just the second time since November 7-14.

"It's an important week for us to re-energize and make sure we get some rest," Giguere said. "To have that game in the middle of week and to get a win, it's really going to give us a lot of energy. After this week, it's going to be a lot of games and a lot of back-to-backs."

The 2003 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Giguere has endured a maddeningly frustrating season. Prior to shutting down Calgary earlier in the week, the Montreal native was 1-6-2 over his previous 10 appearances dating back to when his father, Claude, passed away in December.

Giguere also went through a dismal stretch in mid-November during which he lost five straight starts.

In this contest, Niedermayer negated one of Giguere's early mistakes.

Bertuzzi opened the scoring just 2:55 into the first period by firing a slap shot from the slot past Giguere.

"It's not the outcome we wanted. We came out and had a big start," Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf said. "To get one early, on the road, is a big goal for us. We kind of let up a bit. We got a point, but we didn't play a full (60-minute game), and that's why we lost the hockey game."

But Niedermayer forged a tie with 9 1/2 minutes remaining in the second, beating Kiprusoff with a wrist shot after collecting a loose puck on the doorstep during a man advantage.

"The bad penalties really took the momentum away from us," Flames coach Mike Keenan said. "To defend a one-goal lead in the third period and then take penalties such as hooking and interference, it takes away from your momentum. The fact that you give them that much time on the power play makes a difference in the end."

Glencross restored the one-goal bulge for Calgary less than four minutes later, unleashing a slap shot from the left faceoff circle that beat Giguere for his ninth tally of the season.

However, the slim margin did not hold up as Morrison fired a hard wrister from the left circle past Kiprusoff at 2:05 of the third to pull Anaheim even.

"It was an intense hockey game right from the opening faceoff," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "We had to battle back in a lot of situations all night. You have to credit our players with the grit and determination. They stuck with the game plan and found a way to get a win."