Penner keeps playoff push alive
Oilers 2 Flames 1
CALGARY — Dustin Penner hopes his game-winning goal against the Calgary Flames on Saturday night wasn’t scored in vain.
“It’s pretty special,” said Penner of his third-period power-play goal, which lead the Oilers to a 2-1 win over the Flames and kept Edmonton’s playoff hopes alive. “It’s one of those goals you look back on. We’ll see how it turns out. We’ve got two more games, then maybe I’ll be able to talk (more) about that one after.”
The Oilers improved to 40-34-6 and are now tied with Nashville (39-31-6) and Vancouver (38-30-10) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but both the Predators and Canucks have two games in hand. The Oilers have just two games remaining, Tuesday at home against the Flames and Thursday in Vancouver.
After two scoreless periods, Matthew Lombardi put the Flames up 1-0 early in the third period before Denis Grebeshkov tied it just 67 seconds later.
Alex Hemsky set up both of the Oiler goals, while goalie Dwayne Roloson finished the game with 31 saves to pick up the win.
The Oilers got a bit lucky in the game’s final minute when Alex Tanguay tipped a point shot by Kristian Huselius past Roloson and off the left post. Tanguay raised his arms like he had tied the game while the horn sounded and fans cheered, but neither referee was fooled and play continued.
“The shot was coming to my glove side up head high, and the next thing you know I lost it,” Roloson said. “I had no clue where it was and all I heard was Tom Gilbert hollering (that) it went behind me.
“So, I just lay down and next thing you know there are all these fireworks and things going on. I was just trying to find the puck.”
The Flames (40-28-10), meanwhile, remain in sixth spot behind the Dallas Stars (43-29-6), who trounced the L.A. Kings 7-2 earlier in the day.
The Flames will play their final four games of the season on the road, starting today in Vancouver.
“Every game’s like a playoff game,” said forward Daymond Langkow. “We just have to forget about it and focus on tomorrow night’s game.”
Calgary had the best chance to get on the scoresheet in the first when they had a two-man advantage for 42 seconds after Kyle Brodziak cleared the puck over the glass and was penalized for delay of game.
After taking a hard Dion Phaneuf shot in the ankle, Edmonton defenceman Steve Staios then went flat out to block another point blast by the Calgary defenceman.
“The mindset is I’m looking at Jarome Iginla and I know how much damage that guy can do, so I’m going try and do everything I can to get in that lane and make sure Roli can see it if it does get past me,” Staois said. “Five-on-3 you’ve got to get in some lanes and block some shots.”
