Flames look to end slide in Columbus

The Calgary Flames try to end a three-game losing skid tonight when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

Calgary has lost six of its last seven games overall, including Wednesday's 3-2 setback in Detroit to begin a three-game road trip.Brett Lebda's third- period goal proved to be the game-winner for the Red Wings.

Defensemen Dion Phaneuf and Andrew Ference provided the goals for the slumping Flames, while netminder Miikka Kiprusoff allowed three scores on 34 shots.

Jarome Iginla did not reach the scoresheet and had a four-game point streak come to an end. Iginla had posted four goals and two assists during the tear.

The Flames have not lost four consecutive games since January 9-14, 2003.

Calgary will visit St. Louis on Saturday.

Columbus, meanwhile, has lost two straight and six of its last seven. On Wednesday the Jackets dropped a 5-3 tilt to visiting Colorado, asJose Theodore stopped 41 shots, including 19 in the third period, to anchor the Avalanche.

David Vyborny and Fredrik Modin posted a goal and an assist apiece, and Sergei Fedorov also tallied. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire was touched for five goals on 22 shots in defeat.

Columbus' Rick Nash continued his scoring slump, as he didn't post a goal for the seventh consecutive contest.

The Blue Jackets will visit Detroit on Saturday.

Calgary and Columbus split four meetings last season.

Petr Sykora scores twice as Edmonton Oilers defeat Calgary Flames 3-1

Petr Sykora scored his first two goals as an Edmonton Oiler and goaltender Dwayne Roloson turned aside 31 shots to lead the NHL's Western Conference champions to a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames in their home opener Thursday.

Defenceman Daniel Tjarnqvist also scored for Edmonton and Jarome Iginla replied for Calgary in a penalty-filled affair before 16,839 fans at Rexall Place. The team play again Saturday night in Calgary.

It was the 29th time the 29-year-old Sykora had scored twice in a game in his 10-season career. He has yet to score a hat trick.

Miikka Kiprusoff made 19 saves for Calgary in a game that featured numerous end-to-end rushes and forced both goalies to make spectacular saves on two-on-ones and against one-timers from close in.

Sykora opened the scoring with about five minutes to go in the opening frame after winger Ales Hemsky drove hard to the net, then tried and failed to beat Kiprusoff on the backhand. The puck rebounded straight out and Sykora swooped in to bang it home.

He scored the eventual game-winner three minutes later with the Oilers on a two-man advantage, taking a Jarret Stoll pass in the high slot and one-timing a low slapshot past Kiprusoff.

The Flames wasted a golden opportunity in the first period when Iginla was taken down on a breakaway by defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron and awarded a penalty shot.

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On the shot, Calgary's captain tried a backhand deke but Roloson stayed with him laterally across the crease for the pad save.

Tjarnqvist sealed the Oiler win midway through the third period, again on a play initiated by Hemsky.

The Czech winger used his speed and shifty moves to penetrate the Flames' defence, then turned and dished the puck to Tjarnqvist, who wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle over Kiprusoff's shoulder and into the top far corner of the net.

Iginla broke Roloson's shutout with just over five minutes left in the game with a snap shot from close in after taking cross-ice pass from Daymond Langkow.

Sykora, normally a right winger, has been shifted to second line centre between Hemksy and Raffi Torres given the depth the Oilers have up front.

The six-foot 190 pound Czech signed in the off-season with the Oilers as an unrestricted free agent after splitting last season with the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks.

Notes: Prior to the game, the Oilers raised their 2005-06 conference championship banner amid crowd cheers and a light show. The Oilers themselves, however, stayed in their dressing room a The Oilers are 14-9-4 on opening night while Calgary is 11-13-10 ... Oiler forward Ryan Smyth didn't practise Wednesday due to a strained neck but took a regular shift in Thursday's game ... The Oilers have said they're using the Flames as a measuring stick this season. They were 3-5 against the Northwest Division champs last year and a woeful 1-4-1 the season before that.

Petr Sykora scored his first two goals as an Edmonton Oiler and goaltender Dwayne Roloson turned aside 31 shots to lead the NHL's Western Conference champions to a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames in their home opener Thursday.

Defenceman Daniel Tjarnqvist also scored for Edmonton and Jarome Iginla replied for Calgary in a penalty-filled affair before 16,839 fans at Rexall Place. The team play again Saturday night in Calgary.

It was the 29th time the 29-year-old Sykora had scored twice in a game in his 10-season career. He has yet to score a hat trick.

Miikka Kiprusoff made 19 saves for Calgary in a game that featured numerous end-to-end rushes and forced both goalies to make spectacular saves on two-on-ones and against one-timers from close in.

Sykora opened the scoring with about five minutes to go in the opening frame after winger Ales Hemsky drove hard to the net, then tried and failed to beat Kiprusoff on the backhand. The puck rebounded straight out and Sykora swooped in to bang it home.

He scored the eventual game-winner three minutes later with the Oilers on a two-man advantage, taking a Jarret Stoll pass in the high slot and one-timing a low slapshot past Kiprusoff.

The Flames wasted a golden opportunity in the first period when Iginla was taken down on a breakaway by defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron and awarded a penalty shot.

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On the shot, Calgary's captain tried a backhand deke but Roloson stayed with him laterally across the crease for the pad save.

Tjarnqvist sealed the Oiler win midway through the third period, again on a play initiated by Hemsky.

The Czech winger used his speed and shifty moves to penetrate the Flames' defence, then turned and dished the puck to Tjarnqvist, who wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle over Kiprusoff's shoulder and into the top far corner of the net.

Iginla broke Roloson's shutout with just over five minutes left in the game with a snap shot from close in after taking cross-ice pass from Daymond Langkow.

Sykora, normally a right winger, has been shifted to second line centre between Hemksy and Raffi Torres given the depth the Oilers have up front.

The six-foot 190 pound Czech signed in the off-season with the Oilers as an unrestricted free agent after splitting last season with the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks.

Notes: Prior to the game, the Oilers raised their 2005-06 conference championship banner amid crowd cheers and a light show. The Oilers themselves, however, stayed in their dressing room a The Oilers are 14-9-4 on opening night while Calgary is 11-13-10 ... Oiler forward Ryan Smyth didn't practise Wednesday due to a strained neck but took a regular shift in Thursday's game ... The Oilers have said they're using the Flames as a measuring stick this season. They were 3-5 against the Northwest Division champs last year and a woeful 1-4-1 the season before that.

NHL: FLAMES: Miikka Kiprusoff: Hart and Vezina Finalist

Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player and the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded to the top goalie in the National Hockey League.The awards to to be presented June 22 in Vancouver. (CBC 8 p.m.)Jaromir Jagr of the New York Rangers and Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks are also nominated for the Hart Trophy, which is presented to the player deemed most valuable to his team.Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers are also nominated for the Vezina Trophy.

Flames sign fourth-round pick Seitsonen

The Calgary Flames signed forward Aki Seitsonen to an entry-level contract Thursday.
The six-foot-three, 206-pounder recorded 20 goals and 15 assists for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League this season.
Seitsonen, 20, also played seven games with the AHL's Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights this season, but did not record a point.
He has twice represented his native Finland at the world junior hockey championship, winning a bronze medal at the 2006 event in Vancouver.
The Flames drafted Seitsonen in the fourth round, 118th overall, of the 2004 NHL entry draft.

Flames playoff prospect report

Two Calgary Flames' junior prospects were competing in the final few games for the MasterCard Memorial Cup over the weekend, including Daniel Ryder and J.D. Watt.The two prospects faced-off last Thursday, which sent the winner onto the semi-final round of the Memorial Cup.

Daniel Ryder
Back-to-back losses to the Vancouver Giants sent Daniel Ryder and the Peterborough Petes out of the running for the coveted cup. It was a disappointing 6-0 loss that sent the team packing Thursday (May 25) in the tie-breaking game. Ryder, a native of Bonavista, Nfld., has been on fire as of recently posting 15 goals and 16 assists (31 points) in just 19 games during the Petes playoff run. During the round robin portion of the Memorial Cup, Ryder had one goal and six penalty minutes in four games, but looked to get back in the groove of things in terms of scoring. Two of those penalty minutes came during Thursday's loss. During the regular season, Ryder tallied 38 goals and 44 assists (82 points) in 65 games. In 2004-05, this high scoring forward posted 29 goals, 53 assists for 82 points and 55 penalty minutes in 68 games.Ryder is competing in his second playoff run with the Petes. In Peterborough's (May 11) 4-3 win over the London Knights, Ryder put the Petes on the board with his 15th goal of the post-season. In Game 3 of the series against the Knights, Ryder scored back-to-back goals 1:03 apart during the first period.Ryder, who led the Petes in playoff scoring, won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the most valuable player of the 2006 OHL playoffs.Ryder was also recently recognized in three categories in the 2005-06 Eastern Conference Coaches Poll, including first for best penalty killer and third for smartest player and best on the face-off.

J.D. Watt
Alberta born right winger J.D. Watt and the Vancouver Giants shutout the Peterborough Petes 6-0 in Thursday's intense tie-breaker. But it was a 3-1 loss Friday to the Moncton Wildcats that kept the Giants one victory from the Memorial Cup Championship. A game that would have ended the team's season off just right. The Giants also suffered a 3-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats in their opening game of the tournament Saturday (May 20) and a 6-3 loss to the Quebec Remparts Sunday (May 21).In five games, Watt had one assist and 19 penalty minutes. Prior to Memorial Cup action, Watt was on a roll, scoring in Vancouver's (May 9) 4-0 series sweep over the Moose Jaw Warriors, making it his fourth goal of the playoffs. In the Giants 2-1 win over the Warriors, Watt scored a pair of goals, including the game winner, which was his first game-winner of the post season.The Giants were on a 12-game winning streak going into the Memorial Cup, with eight wins on the road.Watt, a Flames' fourth round draft pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, posted six goals a seven assists (13 points) in 67 games during the 2005-06 regular season. He also led his team in penalty minutes with 213.

And a Child Shall Lead Them

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Rookie goaltenders have had success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before – most notably with Ken Dryden in 1971 and Patrick Roy in 1986, both leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Cup – but never before has a crop of rookie goalies dominated the playoffs like they have this season.

Of the five remaining teams in this year’s playoffs, three are led by rookie goalies and another by a first-year starter. Carolina’s Cam Ward, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Anaheim’s Ilya Bryzgalov, and San Jose’s Vesa Toskala have all enjoyed incredible playoff success thus far.

Seven-year veteran Dwayne Roloson of the Edmonton Oilers, who was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Minnesota Wild, is the only experienced goaltender left. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that, especially with the presence of such big-name goalies as Martin Brodeur and Miikka Kiprusoff, and other veteran backstops or NHL powerhouses like Detroit’s Manny Legace, Dallas’s Marty Turco, and Colorado’s Jose Theodore, among the contenders.

The New Favorite

Thanks to a surprisingly easy 4 games to 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and a dominating performance winning four straight games over Montreal after losing the first two in Round 1, the Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as the new favorite to win Lord Stanley’s Cup. Despite finishing the regular season with 112 points, just 1 behind Eastern Conference leader Ottawa, the Hurricanes’ odds of winning the Cup entering the playoffs were posted at 10-1. That was before the oddsmakers had seen Ward turn away almost every shot he’s faced.

In 10 playoff games, the 22-year-old rookie has allowed just 17 goals while posting a 1.77 goals against average (GAA). Ward let in just five goals in Carolina’s four victories over New Jersey as he outplayed his boyhood idol Brodeur. With his stellar play, and the Hurricanes’ opportunistic offense, led by 100-point scorer Eric Staal, Carolina will be tough to beat.

The Upstart Challenger

The Sabres’ Miller is the only U.S.-born goalie among the Fab Four. He hopes to duplicate the feat of another rookie American goalie, Ron Hextall, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1987. After a shaky start in Game 1 against Ottawa, Buffalo’s defense and Miller shut down the Senators the rest of the way, allowing two or fewer goals in each of the last four games. The Michigan native has a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save percentage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Buffalo’s defense has been stellar in front of Miller. Defensemen Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder lead all playoff performers in plus/minus at plus-13. The Sabres’ offense has been scoring in bunches. Buffalo has a team-leading 43 goals scored in 11 games and is riding high after winger Jason Pominville’s shorthanded, overtime goal clinched the series against Ottawa.

Mr. Perfect – Almost

Anaheim’s Bryzgalov has been the most surprising and impressive of all the rookies. Bryzgalov didn’t even enter the playoffs as the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie. That honor went to Jean-Sebastian Giguere, who led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, his second year in the league, and was named the Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the playoffs that season.

After splitting their first four games against Calgary in Round 1, the Ducks made the switch to Bryzgalov and they haven’t regretted it. The 24-year-old Russian has practically stood on his head as he is sporting a ridiculous 0.87 GAA and .967 save percentage. He recorded three straight shutouts, including Game 7 at Calgary to clinch that series. In doing so, Bryzgalov set a rookie playoff record, holding opponents scoreless for 249 minutes, 15 seconds. Only Montreal’s George Hainsworth, 270:08 in 1930, has had a longer playoff scoreless streak.

The Final Four

San Jose’s Toskala is hoping to join his fellow first-year netminders in the conference finals. After an excellent series against Nashville in Round 1, including a shutout in Game 2, and two 2-1 victories to open the Edmonton series, Toskala and the Sharks find themselves on the ropes as the Oilers have stormed back to take a 3-2 series lead. Edmonton will try to close it out at home on Wednesday night.

San Jose’s offense is led by Patrick Marleau, who leads all playoff goal scorers with nine. The Sharks will need to get an early lead and help Toskala protect it to force a Game 7 at home on Friday.

The Finals

The matchup between Ward and Miller should be as entertaining as it gets. Both are capable of stealing a game or two for their respective teams. Carolina is the favorite, but Buffalo has a lot of momentum and Miller has shown he can win the close games with four one-goal victories against Ottawa. Look for the Sabres to get to the Finals.

The Ducks have had a long time off after unexpectedly sweeping the Avalanche. Anaheim may be a little rusty to start the conference finals, but the Ducks have good veteran leadership in Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne and will ride the stellar play of Bryzgalov past either the Oilers or the Sharks to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Flames ink Yelle

The Calgary Flames announced on Thursday that they have signed forward Stephane Yelle. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Yelle recently completed his third season in a Calgary sweater, totaling four goals and 14 assists for the Flames. He also logged 48 penalty minutes.
The Ottawa native has recorded 23 goals and 131 assists, good for 203 points, in 714 games in his 10-year career with Colorado and Calgary.
Yelle is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, having won the cup with the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001. He was acquired by the Flames on October 1, 2002 along with Chris Drury, in a trade that sent Dean McAmmond, Derek Morris and Jeff Shantz to Colorado.

Flames bucks stop here

The vanquished Calgary Flames are nursing their bruised pride while licking financial wounds inflicted by an early playoff exit, club president Ken King said yesterday.
"It's hard to describe -- expectations were very high," said King, adding he sympathized with both players and fans.
While he wouldn't say how much revenue the first-round defeat would cost the club, the Flames reaped about $1 million from each home playoff game during the 2004 run to the Stanley Cup finals.
The money came from everything from tickets to food and beverage sales and the purchase of other merchandise.
"It's pretty obvious it'll have a deleterious effect," said King.
"Each game and each series is a very important increment."
It's difficult to detach hockey's psychological rollercoaster from its fiscal side, he added.
"The more emotional equity there is, the better the likelihood you'll build financial equity," he said.
Despite Wednesday night's disappointment of the Flames 3-0 Game 7 loss at home to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the balance sheet on both of those factors remains positive for the Flames, who enjoyed a season of healthy revenues and moral support gleaned from constant Saddledome sellouts, said King.
"In my e-mails today, I received support and encouragement 20-to-one over the negative," he said.
Operators of bars on the Red Mile said life will go on, even though they'll be forgoing significant receipts in the absence of a Flames' playoff presence.
Brigitte Balchewich, manager of Watchman's Pub, 1109 17 Ave. S.W., said hockey fever accounted for up to 40% of the bar's playoff-season business.
"It's the best business during the season, but what are you going to do?" said Balchewich. "It's pretty sombre here today."
Said Mike Hope, general manager of the Rose & Crown Pub, 1503 4 St. S.W.: "We can definitely expect a dip on hockey evenings -- it was probably a 40-percent increase with the Flames."
But down the street, Jeanne Doctor of Bob the Fish Tavern, 501 17 Ave. S.W., said they're counting on local Edmonton Oilers fans to pick up the slack.
"There are so many Edmonton fans here, but obviously, it won't be the Red Mile," she said.
"We were hoping for a longer Flames run."