Miikka Kiprusoff helps Flames beat Jets

[March 10, 2012]  CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Miikka Kiprusoff made 42 saves to help the Calgary Flames beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Friday night in a showdown between teams fighting for playoff spots.

Kiprusoff improved to 30-19-8, reaching 30 victories for the seventh straight season.

Alex Tanguay had a goal and three assists, and Jarome Iginla added a goal and two assists for the Flames.

Mark Giordano, Matt Stajan and Curtis Glencross also scored.

The Flames picked up five out of a possible six points on a three-game homestand to move into a three-way tie for ninth in the Western Conference with Colorado and Los Angeles, one point behind eighth-place San Jose.

Evander Kane, Blake Wheeler and Tobias Enstrom scored for Winnipeg. The Jets, coming off a loss Thursday night in Vancouver, are tied with Washington for eighth in the Eastern Conference. Winnipeg also is three points behind Southeast Division-leading Florida.

Tanguay assisted on two power-play goals as the Flames took a 2-0 lead less than 7 minutes into the game. He then scored the only goal of the second period, giving the Flames a 4-2 lead.

Tanguay's 11th goal came at 12:53. Iginla's shot from the slot didn't get through the crowd in front of the net, but Tanguay, collected the loose puck, swung out wide, outwaited goalie Ondrej Pavelec, and fired the puck into the top corner on the open side.

He capped off his best offensive night in nearly three years with a neat setup to Glencross on another power play at 11:28 of the third period.

Glencross scored his 24th goal, extending his scoring streak to six games.

Calgary finished 3 for 3 with the extra man.

NOTES: Nineteen-year-old Flames prospect Sven Baertschi made his NHL debut. Calgary took him 13th overall in the 2011 draft. Baertschi was called up from the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League on an emergency basis due to the Flames' injury woes. ... Iginla has 28 goals this season and 512 overall. He's tied with Gilbert Perreault for 37th on the career list. ... Pavelec made 22 saves for the Jets.

[Associated Press]

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