Power Plays Help Flames Even Series with Red Wings

The Calgary Flames capitalized on two long five-on-threes Thursday night, scoring twice on the power play en route to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings to even their Western Conference Quarterfinal series at two games apiece.

Daymond Langkow put the Flames on the board with his first goal of the night at 8:29 of the first period. With the Flames skating with a two-man advantage, Alex Tanguay threw the puck out from behind the net to Langkow, who banged it past Detroit netminder Dominik Hasek as the first penalty expired.

Todd Bertuzzi scored his first playoff goal as a Red Wing just 2:38 later. New linemate Robert Lang put the puck out front from behind the net and Bertuzzi took it on his backhand, shifted to the forehand, then roofed a shot over goalie Miikka Kiprusoff.

A blast from the top of the left circle by Craig Conroy deflected off defenseman Brett Lebda and past Hasek with 6:27 remaining in the period to put the Flames up by a goal but the Red Wings would even things up.

Bertuzzi carried into the Calgary zone and sent it across to Johan Franzen for a wrister from the left side of the slot past Kiprusoff with 4:23 remaining.

With the game tied at two after 20 minutes, Langkow’s second of the night would put the Flames out front for good.

In a play almost identical to his first goal, Tanguay sent the puck from behind the net out front to Langkow for a one-timer past Hasek. Scored at 8:19, the goal came with two Red Wings in the penalty box.

Detroit was unable to even things back up and the Flames held on to get the victory.

The Calgary goals came on two of their six power play attempts, which included two long five-on-three chances. Detroit also had six power plays but no two-man advantages.

Kiprusoff stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced on the night. Hasek stopped 18 of 21.

The Calgary win forces a game six in the series, to be played in Calgary on Sunday night. Game five will be in Detroit on Saturday afternoon.