Calgary (7-4-1) at Dallas (6-3-5)

  • Game info: 8:30 pm EST Wed Nov 4, 2009
  • TV: TSN, KDFI

By TOM CASTRO, STATS Senior Editor Nov 4, 4:19 pm EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Highlights

A pair of matchups with two of the NHL’s top teams put an end to the Calgary Flames’ recent high-scoring ways. They’ll look to get back on track offensively Wednesday night when they face the Dallas Stars, another club that shut them down this season.

The Flames (7-4-1) put together their second three-game winning streak of the season from Oct. 16-24, outscoring opponents 16-8. That run ended abruptly in a 3-2 loss to Northwest Division-leading Colorado last Wednesday, and Calgary suffered a 3-1 defeat to Detroit on Saturday.

The Flames settled for a 3-2-0 homestand, and coach Brian Sutter wasn’t happy with the way it ended, criticizing his top line of captain Jarome Iginla(notes), Curtis Glencross(notes) and Craig Conroy(notes) after the most recent loss.

“I thought Connie had a decent game, but I thought both his wingers never played very well tonight,” said Sutter, whose team plays five of its next six on the road. “The puck doesn’t have legs on it, it isn’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get after it and win battles. I just didn’t think Jarome and Glennie had their better games tonight and that’s the bottom line.”

Sutter put his team through a grueling practice Monday.

“He wasn’t happy after the game (on Saturday) and we knew it was going to be hard today and it was,” Conroy told the team’s official Web site. “He was sending a message to say we’re not doing enough in practice, so obviously a lot of hitting today, a lot of battles.”

Sutter has been generally pleased with the play of Miikka Kiprusoff(notes), who stopped 29 shots Saturday and is expected to make his eighth straight start. The veteran allowed one goal each time in winning his last two matchups with the Stars, although he is 6-10-2 versus Dallas.

The only game Kiprusoff didn’t play this season was Oct. 9 against Dallas, a 5-2 Stars win at the Pengrowth Saddledome in the teams’ first meeting. Curtis McElhinney(notes) was in net for the Flames, who managed only 23 shots against Alex Auld(notes).

The Stars (6-3-5) will be looking to get back in the win column themselves after dropping their last two. Dallas followed a 6-5 shootout loss to Florida on Friday with a disheartening 4-2 defeat at Nashville the next night.

The Stars led by one going into the third period, only to be outscored 3-0 in the final 20 minutes. Dallas was outshot 13-8 in the third, and fatigue may have caught up to the club after the draining game the night before.

“They came out with a lot of sustained pressure, and they scored three hardworking goals,” Auld said after making his second straight start in place of Marty Turco(notes), who was out with flulike symptoms. “I would have liked to come up with some saves to hold the team in it, but I wasn’t able to do that tonight.”

Turco could return Wednesday after the Stars’ three-day break. The veteran, who won his last three starts, is 14-8-1 with two ties and a 1.79 goals-against average versus Calgary. He lost 2-1 to Kiprusoff in each of his last two matchups with the Flames, April 2 and March 18.

Dallas will have center Mike Modano(notes) and right wing Jere Lehtinen(notes) available after activating them from injured reserve before this game.

Updated Nov 4, 4:19 pm EST
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Team Comparison

Team G W L OTL Pts Standings GF GA Road/Home
Calgary 22 13 6 3 29 2nd, Northwest 69 62 7-1-3 Road
Dallas 23 11 6 6 28 2nd, Pacific 70 65 5-3-3 Home

Notes

Calgary was 1-for-1 on the power play. ... The Flames scored three goals in the first 9:16 of the second period. ... C Olli Jokinen recorded a game-high six shots on goal.

Apr 23, 1:08 am EDT

C Mike Modano is the 30th NHL player to appear in 1,400 games. ... The Stars eliminated the Ducks in six games in the opening round of the playoffs last season. ... D Nicklas Grossman had a game-high six hits.

Apr 11, 2:13 am EDT
NHL

17 Comments

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  1. John H
    17. Posted by John H Thu Nov 5 9:13pm EST

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    What I don't understand is why something like that isn't reviewable. I understand that many calls (hooking, tripping, diving, etc) are somewhat subjective and left to the judgement of the official, but something like this where the call is blatantly wrong and clock is stopped anyway, the official upstairs should be able to call down and reverse the penalty.

    Yea, I'm a Stars fan and felt like the game was somewhat stolen away because of the call, but I've seen the other side before where the Stars have benefitted from a bad call the other way. When that happens, yea, I'll take it because I know these things usually even out in the long run, but it cheapens the win.
  2. Mike
    16. Posted by Mike Thu Nov 5 11:45am EST

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    Preferential treatment in the flu shot line, preferential treatment from the officials in last night's game. The NHL and its officiating are officially a JOKE.
  3. LayneG
    15. Posted by LayneG Thu Nov 5 11:39am EST

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    Nice comment John you ignorant racist @#$%!!
  4. the critic
    14. Posted by the critic Thu Nov 5 10:12am EST

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    nice job flames
  5. Icedragon
    13. Posted by Icedragon Thu Nov 5 10:10am EST

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    You are right flamesking09. No team is going to complain if the call goes their way (and neither are the fans for that matter). And the fact of the matter is, @#$% calls happen throughout the season for any team. Its just a matter of a team taking advantage of those breaks, which the Flames (surprisingly) managed to last night. Who were the 3 stars anyway? McElhinney had to be on there I would hope.
  6. john
    12. Posted by john Thu Nov 5 10:02am EST

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    Nigginla sucks and the call was bull@#$% !!!!
  7. Jimmy K
    11. Posted by Jimmy K Thu Nov 5 9:05am EST

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    That call was unbelievably bad. It wasn't even close.
  8. Shawn
    10. Posted by Shawn Thu Nov 5 4:38am EST

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    Well.. If Dallas was in the position Calgary was I'm sure they would glady have taken that powerplay. Just like any other team would.. Can't blame the Flames for that although like anyone would they did sell it to the refs by calling it. If McelHinney wasn't on his game tonight then it definately would've been a different outcome. But if Kipper doesn't go on Thursday then the first true test of his career will come for back to back games.
  9. Kevin H
    9. Posted by Kevin H Thu Nov 5 1:33am EST

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    Horrible call by the officials. They must be competing with the baseball umpires for who gets to screw up a game the worst.
  10. DA2112
    8. Posted by DA2112 Thu Nov 5 12:08am EST

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    For the love of all things holy ..... Jokinen is USELESS
  11. Icedragon
    7. Posted by Icedragon Wed Nov 4 11:32pm EST

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    Well, I can safely say I'm surprised the Flames actually came back to tie it, let alone win. McElhinney obviously stole one for them because judging by how badly they got outshot, they clearly weren't the better team.
  12. Icedragon
    6. Posted by Icedragon Wed Nov 4 10:43pm EST

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    Here's a question: Are the Flames actually capable of playing even a moderately decent game when McElhinney is in net? I can't think of the last time it was that they did so, and they clearly are at it again tonight. Way to leave him out to dry. Again.
  13. <i>davehug67</i>
    4. Posted by davehug67 Wed Nov 4 1:17pm EST

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    The stars need to start winning the games at home. They also need to get a whole lot better in shootouts or the will miss the playoffs again.
  14. <i>windowbreaker98</i>
    3. Posted by windowbreaker98 Wed Nov 4 11:06am EST

    Report Abuse

    l
  15. <i>windowbreaker98</i>
    2. Posted by windowbreaker98 Wed Nov 4 11:06am EST

    Report Abuse

    l
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