Flames Regain Series Lead with 3-2 Win

Shean Donovan scored just 40 seconds after a Jiri Fischer goal to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night. The Flames now have a 2-1 lead in their second round playoff matchup.

Donovan fought off Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk to break through the left faceoff circle. He took a pass from Marcus Nilson and skated around Red Wings’ goaltender Curtis Joseph before putting the puck in the net for the eventual game-winning-goal.

Fischer had tied the game with 8:16 remaining in the second period, firing a one-timer by Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff off a faceoff win by Datsyuk and a pass by Brett Hull.

The Red Wings opened the scoring 1:17 into the second with a goal by Robert Lang. Lang one-timed a pass from Brendan Shanahan on net but Darren McCarty couldn’t handle the puck on the doorstep. The puck bounced back to Lang, who put it in the net to give Detroit the lead.

Calgary responded 2:21 later with a Stephane Yelle goal. Yelle fired a shot from the far edge of the right faceoff circle that seemed to deflect off the stick of Mathieu Schneider before slipping between Joseph’s pads.

On their fourth-straight power play, the Flames took the lead. At 5:46 of the second, Jarome Iginla was left alone in the slot and one-timed a shot past Joseph to put the Flames in front for the first time in regulation in the series.

Joseph stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced in net for the Red Wings. Kipprusoff made 27 saves on 29 shots.

Detroit was held scoreless on their two powerplay attempts, while Calgary went 1-for-4.

Game Four is Thursday night in Calgary.

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Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios did not play. He was scratched with an “upper-body injury.” Jason Woolley and Jamie Rivers played for the first time this postseason.