Power lift provided big boost
CALGARY, Alberta -- There are two cliches that get repeated during the postseason. One is that the best players have to be at their best for their team to win, the other is that special teams win or lose games.
Heading into last night's Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Saddledome, the Calgary Flames' power play had been dreadful, although it hadn't cost them in any significant way. They had converted 11 of 95 opportunities for a success rate of just 11.6 percent. In fact, neither team was effective on the power play in the first two games. Calgary was 2 for 11 and Tampa 2 for 14.
But last night the Flames broke out of their funk, scoring twice on four power-play chances on their way to a 3-0 victory. Wingers Chris Simon and Jarome Iginla potted the man-advantage goals.
Iginla said the Flames were determined to improve even though the Lightning were making it tough on them, blocking many shots and preventing the point men from finding open passing lanes.
"We put pressure on ourselves and the guys out there," said Iginla, who had a Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist, and a fight). "We know last game we had four power plays in the first [period] in a 1-0 or 0-0 game, and we didn't get it done. But at the same time, once the game is done, we try to learn from it.
"Tonight was a huge goal for our confidence on the power play, and confidence is a big part of it. We're trying to keep it simple. Our [defensemen] are getting shots. You have got to give them credit on the other side. They block a lot of shots."
Face facts One area where the Lightning have been stronger than the Flames is in the faceoff circle. In Game 1, the Lightning won 54 percent (35 of 65). In Game 2, the Flames were even worse, winning only 33 percent (23 of 70). Last night, the Flames again struggled, as the Lightning won 41 of 72 (56.9 percent) . . . Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff stopped all 21 shots he faced for his fifth shutout of the postseason. He is the fourth goalie in NHL history to post as many as five in one postseason. The others are New Jersey's Martin Brodeur (7, 2003), Detroit's Dominik Hasek (6, 2002), and Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere (5, 2003) . . . The Lightning lost a key player with 5:47 remaining when Calgary defenseman Robyn Regehr checked Ruslan Fedotenko into the boards. Fedotenko fell face-first into the ledge atop the boards, landing hard on the right side of his face. He had a cut and a giant bruise on his right cheek. His status for Game 4 is not known.
