Calgary Flames' Roman Horak celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks as Alexander Edler looks at the puck in the net during the second period of their NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta February 11, 2012. REUTERS/Mike SturkReuters
Jarome Iginla scored the shootout winner Saturday night as the Calgary Flames earned an important two points with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
The shootout was tied through two shooters with Olli Jokinen scoring for Calgary and Alex Burrows replying for Vancouver, which set the stage for the Flames captain and all-time leading scorer.
Iginla put the Flames ahead when he faked a shot, drew it around Roberto Luongo and jammed it in while he was falling. Miikka Kiprusoff then denied Mason Raymond with a pad stop, clinching the victory.
It was a different move for Iginla, who chose to shoot when he got a breakaway with two minutes left in the third period but was robbed by Luongo, who made a glove save.
Mike Cammalleri and rookie Roman Horak scored as Calgary (26-22-8) recovered after blowing a 2-0 lead. The Flames have points in five straight games stay within two points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western conference.
Cody Hodgson and David Booth scored for Vancouver (34-25-6). The Canucks finish 3-0-1 on their four-game road trip.
The Canucks and Flames have each won twice in the season series with two games to go in the season series.
Vancouver began its comeback with two minutes left in the second period when persistent pressure from the Canucks fourth line eventually resulted in Hodgson's 15th goal.
Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff had the puck squirt out from under his glove as he attempted to cover it, and Hodgson immediately fired it up high, narrowing the Flames lead to 2-1.
Vancouver tied it at 8:04 of the third period on a fortunate bounce.
Dan Hamhuis' slapshot was blocked by Blake Comeau, but the puck caromed right to Booth near the side of the net and he beat Kiprusoff on the short side before the Flames goaltender could scramble across.
The goal drew a large roar from the large contingent of noisy blue jersey-wearing Canucks supporters littered throughout the sell-out crowd of 19,289.
Vancouver nearly took a 3-2 lead right afterwards, but Kiprusoff threw out his glove to spectacularly save a shot off the stick of Henrik Sedin from 10 feet out.
Luongo matched that save with a dandy catch of his own with two minutes left in the third, thwarting Iginla after Alex Tanguay sent him in on a breakaway.
Kiprusoff finished the night with 29 stops compared to 16 for Luongo.
Calgary took a 2-0 lead 2:41 into the second period.
It appeared Luongo lost track of the puck with it behind the net. Lance Bouma centred it to Horak, left alone at the top of the crease, and he lifted a quick shot over Luongo's shoulder.
It was Horak's first goal in 36 games. Horak, 20, made the team after a superb training camp, which carried over into the regular season as he scored twice in his first eight games.
In 35 game since, he had just four assists, was demoted twice to AHL Abbotsford and had no points in his last 18 games.
Horak's most recent recall came Friday after it was confirmed that Flames centre Blair Jones had broken his foot Thursday night against Phoenix.
Cammalleri's goal at 17:23 was the lone goal of the first period.
Comeau set up Cammalleri at the side of the net, whose initial backhand was stopped by Luongo but the rebound went in off Cammalleri's leg.
It was Cammalleri's first even-strength goal since he was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 12 in a trade for Rene Bourque. Cammalleri has three goals and one assist in 11 games with the Flames.
The Flames lost centre Mikael Backlund early in the second period to an upper body injury, which occurred in a skirmish with rugged Canucks defenceman Andrew Alberts. After Alberts bowled over Comeau along the boards, Backlund came rushing in and threw a shoulder to shoulder hit on the six-foot-five Alberts before the two dropped the gloves and wrestled each other to the ice. Upon getting up, Backlund immediately left the ice for the dressing room.
Calgary entered the night with five players on injured reserve and so far, have lost 243 man games to injury.
Notes: In a pre-game ceremony, Kiprusoff received a silver goal stick commemorating his 300th NHL win, which he recorded Wednesday against San Jose... Kiprusoff's 301st career win moves him into a tie for 26th all-time with Mike Richter... Hall-of-Fame Flames radio play-by-play voice Peter Maher called game No. 3000 in his NHL broadcasting career... Calgary's last short-handed goal was scored by Anton Babchuk in last year's Heritage Classic against Montreal on Feb. 20. They are the only NHL team without one this season.