Wed Apr 2 00:11:51 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Flames burn Oilers, ending Edmonton's playoff hopes

---

Edmonton, AB (Sports Network) - Owen Nolan's first goal in 22 games lifted Calgary to a 3-2 win over Edmonton, which knocked the Oilers out of the playoff chase.

Adrian Aucoin and Alex Tanguay each scored a goal while Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 28 shots for the Flames, who snapped a two-game losing streak and move into the sixth spot in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Colorado, which is currently playing Vancouver.

Curtis Glencross scored twice while Dwayne Roloson stopped 14 shots for the Oilers, who have dropped three of four and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season.

Calgary held a 2-1 lead in the third period, but Edmonton tied the game with 6:43 to play.

However, Calgary regained the lead with 3:44 left. Matthew Lombardi blasted a slap shot from the right circle that Roloson stopped, but he let up a huge rebound and Nolan buried it into the back of the net for a 3-2 lead.

The Oilers threw everything they had left at Calgary over the remainder of the game to try and keep their playoff hopes alive, but Kiprusoff came up with the saves he needed to give Calgary the victory.

Edmonton grabbed a 1-0 lead halfway through the first period. On the rush, Kyle Brodziak sent a pass from the right point over to Glencross, who let fly with a wrister from the right circle that beat Kiprusoff for his 14th goal of the season.

Calgary, though, tied the game with 5:48 left in the first. On the power play, Aucoin's one-timer from the slot deflected off of an Edmonton player at the right side and got past Roloson.

The Flames took a 2-1 lead with just 2.1 seconds left in the second period. Jarome Iginla threw a shot on net from the left boards that deflected into the air and Tanguay whacked it into the net for his 17th goal of the season.

Kiprusoff stopped all seven shots he faced in the second period.

The Oilers tied the game with 6:43 left in the contest as Glencross skated in on a breakaway and snapped a wrister into the right corner of the net for his 15th goal of the season.

Game Notes

Edmonton, which played its last game at home this season and finished 23-17-1 at Rexall Place, closes its regular season on Thursday at Vancouver...Calgary plays in Minnesota on Thursday before closing the season in Vancouver on Saturday...Calgary went 1-for-3 on the power play while Edmonton finished 0- for-3.