Calgary Flames 3, Dallas Stars 2 (OT)

by Mark Stepneski of Andrew's Stars Page

DALLAS — The Dallas Stars were the better team for most of the game Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center, but it wasn't enough to add up to two points. The Calgary Flames scored with 49 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and then took advantage of a controversial penalty call on the Stars in overtime, scoring on the power play to beat the Stars 3-2.

“We dominated the game, we were ahead in the game and we’re sitting here like this,” said Stars center Brad Richards. "That can’t happen. We were winning the game on home ice. We didn’t get it done."

The loss pushed the Stars' winless streak to three games (0-1-2) and left them with a 1-6 record in games that have gone beyond regulation.

"We’ve let six slip away and I think that if we play with the type of intensity that we’re capable of, then we’ll start to turn that tide," said Stars head coach Marc Crawford. "We’ve taken some lumps in overtime this year, this is another unfortunate break for us, with the non-power play in overtime, so you just deal with it.”

This overtime didn't last long. Flames captain Jarome Iginla, who had two goals and an assist in the game, scored off a blast from the left faceoff circle 1:25 into the extra period.

It came just 16 seconds after Stars defenseman Nicklas Grossman was called for delay of game after he shot the puck over the glass. But the Stars didn't like the call because replays showed he was in the neutral zone and not in his own zone.

"It's somewhat frustrating because it didn't look like it was a penalty," said Stars head coach Marc Crawford.

Their was some frustration early in the game for the Stars. They had their chances through the first two periods, outshooting the Flames 30-17, but they couldn't crack Flames goalie Curtis McElhinney, who was filling in for the ailing Miikka Kiprusoff.

“I think the goalie played well,” Stars center Mike Ribeiro said. “There were a lot of chances we couldn’t bury. We cycled the puck most of the game, we took shots on net.”

The Stars missed on five power play chances in the first 40 minutes, including a 52-second five-on-three opportunity, and they had a Brenden Morrow penalty shot as well.

The only goal of the first two periods came as the result of an odd-man rush and Iginla finished it off, beating Stars goalie Marty Turco with a shot from the right faceoff circle to give Calgary a 1-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

The Stars got goals from James Neal and Loui Eriksson in the first nine minutes of the third period to take a 2-1 lead, but they couldn't hold it.

With McElhinney pulled for the extra attacker, the Flames won a puck battle behind the Dallas net and Iginla centered a pass to Daymond Langkow, who scored off a backhand from the top of the crease with 49 seconds left in regulation to force the overtime.

The Flames snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 8-4-1 on the season.

"We've been talking a lot as a group about bringing our compete level up, and we really battled tonight," Iginla said. "It was a step in the right direction."

The Stars, who are now 6-3-6 on the season, host Vancouver Friday night.