Oilers fall to Flames to end 2008

CALGARY, AB - DECEMBER 31: Cory Sarich #6 of the Calgary Flames skates against Eric Cole #26 of the Edmonton Oilers on December 31, 2008 at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Brad Watson/NHLI via Getty Images)

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GAME CENTRE

Pre-Game Info Preview Game Notes Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Video interviews Audio interviews Photo Gallery Click here for the photo gallery Post-Game Video Watch tonight's video highlights package Post-game interviews with Gilbert Brule, Erik Cole and Craig MacTavish. The Other Side: Flames Post-Game interviews with Iginla, Cammalleri, Conroy, Kiprusoff and Keenan. Post-Game Podcast Gilbert Brule Erik Cole Craig MacTavish. Three Stars Jarome Iginla, CGY 2 goals, 3 assists Mike Cammalleri, CGY 2 goals, 3 assists Denis Grebeshkov, EDM 1 goal, 3 assists Update With the loss, the Oilers slip to 11th in the Western Conference. They are two points behind Colorado for the eighth and final playoff spot. What's Next Edmonton's first game of 2009 comes this Saturday when they face the Dallas Stars. Game time is 8:00 p.m. MST and it can be seen on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

by Marc Ciampa | edmontonoilers.com

Michael Cammalleri and Jarome Iginla each had a five-point night to lead the Calgary Flames to a 6-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday night. Denis Grebeshkov had a four-point night to lead the way for Edmonton.

FIRST PERIOD

Edmonton got on the board 1:27 into the first period when Denis Grebeshkov scored his second goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game. Sam Gagner drove to the net with the puck and Erik Cole got a close shot but Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff made the initial save. Grebeshkov swooped in from the point to fire the rebound past the fallen Calgary netminder.

It didn't take the Flames long to pull back on even terms. Several minutes later, Craig Conroy took the puck behind the net and found Iginla in the slot. The Flames captain made no mistake, rifling it past Dwayne Roloson to make it a 1-1 game.

Rene Bourque took the game's first penalty after running some interference on Robert Nilsson.

In the late stages of that power play, the Oilers struck to regain the lead at 2-1. Tom Gilbert corralled the puck at the top of the right circle and put it on net. It was tipped by Gagner and the rebound came straight out to Nilsson. The Swede had a wide open net and made no mistake, depositing it into the open net.

Gilbert Brule took a tripping penalty just past the midway point of the first to give Calgary their first power play on the night. 

Much like Edmonton did on their first man advantage, the Flames also capitalized. Iginla spun and threaded a pass across the Oilers zone right on the stick of Michael Cammalleri who was on the right faceoff dot. His one-timer attempt beat Roloson five hole as the Oilers goaltender attempted to slide across and make the save. 

Roloson shone late in the period as Todd Bertuzzi took a long feed and turned it into a breakaway. His attempted backhand move was denied by the Oilers goaltender.

Calgary started to take the play to Edmonton after the Oilers carried momentum early on. The Oilers had a 7-2 edge in shots to start the period but the Flames were outshooting Edmonton 12-8 by the end of the opening frame.

SECOND PERIOD

Just over a minute into the second period, the Oilers set themselves up in the Flames zone. Thanks to a feed from fellow D-man Grebeshkov, Lubomir Visnovsky teed up and slapped the puck past Kiprusoff to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead. Grebeshkov earned his third point of the night on the play.

At 4:12, Gagner took a tipping penalty and the Flames benefited from their second powerplay of the game. Despite ringing a shot off both posts and firing one dead on net, Calgary couldn't light the lamp on the powerplay and stayed down by one heading into the midway point of the middle frame.

A penalty to Visnovsky gave Calgary a powerplay midway through the second period. Sheldon Souray then attempted to ice the puck and instead cleared it over the glass at the other end of the rink - the result was a delay-of-game penalty and a lengthy two-man advantage for the Flames.

With two seconds left in the five-on-three, Calgary capitalized to even the game up at 3-3. Jarome Iginla picked up the puck behind the Oilers net and backhanded it out to Adrian Aucoin in the high slot. The Flames defenceman made no mistake, teeing up a blast past Roloson for the goal.

Shots on goal after two periods were 28-15 for Calgary.

THIRD PERIOD

Sam Gagner was absolutely robbed by Kiprusoff early in the third period. He had the puck at the top of the crease after taking a feed from behind the net by Erik Cole but the Flames goaltender stuck out his blocker and made a great save.

It looked like the Oilers had taken a 4-3 lead after Liam Reddox set up Tom Gilbert in front of the net. Kiprusoff stopped the first shot and the rebound went in off the glove of Gilbert. After a video review, it was ruled no goal.

With Denis Grebeshkov in the box, Iginla scored to give Calgary the 4-3 lead. The Flames captain hopped on the puck in the slot and wristed it blocker side past Roloson.

A penalty to Curtis Glencross midway through the third put the Oilers on the powerplay with a chance to get back in the game.

On the ensuing man advantage, Kiprusoff made a couple of big saves on Erik Cole as the Oilers winger almost made it a one-goal game.

With 2:14 to go in the third, Andrew Cogliano was denied by Kiprusoff. His shot in the slot was knocked away by the Flames goaltender's glove.

Michael Cammalleri added an empty-net goal to cap his five-point night.

Erik Cole scored a late marker to make the final 6-4.