Jarome Iginla's Natural Hat-Trick Burns Wild

Jarome Iginla delivered an MVP performance as the Calgary Flames beat the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Calgary defender Dion Phaneuf recorded three points, and Wildmen Kim Johnsson and Benoit Pouliot scored two goals apiece.

Both teams battled hard in a Northwest Division clash as each squad hopes to capture the division title. With the win, Calgary pulls to within one point of the currently first-place Wild with a game in hand.

The game started with energy and physicality from both sides. At 4:56 of the first, Minnesota tough-man Derek Boogaard took on Flames enforcer Eric Godard in front of more than 19,000 fans.

At the ensuing face-off, defenseman Jim Vandermeer was lined up on the wing facing former Flame Chris Simon. The second energy bout in eleven seconds, Vandermeer and Simon exchanged heavy shots and gave their squads a psychological lift.

Play continued back and forth. Each team had power play chances and scoring opportunities as both sides demonstrated why they are fighting for first place in the NW. Having opened the game with grit, both clubs played an even first period, each recording ten shots on goal and keeping the game scoreless heading into the second.

Dion Phaneuf opened the scoring and the second with a Bobby Orr-style short-handed goal, breaking in from the Flames zone past a confused Minnesota defence and lifting the puck one-handed over goalie Josh Harding. The Wild were on a line change and lost position as Phaneuf took advantage of his power and speed to get in and break the deadlock at 3:00 of the second period.

It was the first short-handed goal of Phaneuf’s career.

The Wild would have chances of their own. Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was forced to make a spectacular save on a 2-on-1 featuring Brian Rolston and Branko Radivojevic to temporarily maintain the Flames lead.

Minnesota youngster Benoit Pouliot would shift the score in favour of his team with his first and second NHL goals. Scoring even-strength at 13:12 and 18:24, Pouliot’s tallies would give the Wild the scoring edge until 19:37 of the second. After that, it was Jarome Iginla’s game.

With just twenty-three seconds left in the middle frame, Iginla took control of the play off the draw. Winning the faceoff in the Minnesota zone, he got the puck to Dion Phaneuf at the point. As Jim Vandermeer took the screen, Iginla moved to the net while Phaneuf let loose a hard shot. Taking advantage of the ensuing rebound, Iginla popped in the game tying goal to even the score before the intermission.

Carrying his intensity into the third period, Iginla would score his 47^th at 0:50 to take the 3-2 lead. Alex Tanguay would assist the play, moving the puck in along the side and passing to Iginla coming down the slot.

The third fight of the game came courtesy of Cory Sarich and Wild heavy Todd Fedoruk at 6:14. The skirmish came just seconds after Sarich left the penalty box following an interference call. The frustration and intensity of both teams were illustrated in what was a lengthy bout.

Half a minute after the fight, Iginla completed the hat-trick, posting his 48^th to give the home team a two-goal cushion. His stellar play inspired his team, as he had three hits, two takeaways and was 67% in the faceoff circle. He recorded the natural hat-trick within seven minutes and dominated with his usual well-rounded style of play.

The Wild would not be put away easily as they continued to grind in what has become their effective style of play. Defenseman Kim Johnsson posted his third of the year thanks to his team battling in deep to hold the puck in the Calgary zone. Good pressure gave Minnesota a chance as Johnsson put the puck through traffic and past Miikka Kiprusoff.

The last two minutes of play would bring the game right down to the wire.

Flames speedster Matthew Lombardi made the score 5-3 at 18:18 as he burst in with speed on Harding. The play began with role player Stephane Yelle taking the puck away from Marian Gaborik in the neutral zone; Lombardi took the loose puck and blew past trailing Minnesota defence to notch his 12^th of the year.

The Wild would not give in easily, however, as Johnsson made it interesting with fifty-five seconds left in the game and narrowing the deficit to one goal. His second of the game and fourth of the season came before Minnesota pulled the goalie to try for the equaliser.

They would be unsuccessful with the extra man, and the game ended with the puck smothered along the Calgary boards, final score 5-4 Calgary.

This was not an easy win, no “gimme” by any stretch. Both teams did well to kill off penalties and keep the game evenly physical. Neither side would allow for much ground to be gained, but the Flames received fantastic performances to lift their squad above the Wild. Lombardi utilised his speed to score the eventual game winner, and impressive performances from the core solidified the outcome.

Iginla posted the hat-trick, Phaneuf scored the short-handed tally, two assists and played thirty-one minutes, and Kiprusoff made spectacular stops to keep his team in the game with 29 saves on 33 shots. The Flames out-hit the opposition, 12-7, as well as blocking shots. Hits and grit all over the ice from both sides helped the charge, but timely scoring from the core players won this contest for the Flames.

Perhaps not the ideal performance, this goes to show that Calgary can play to win. The shots against Calgary crept up past thirty again, but in a hard fought Division it is how teams respond night to night that counts. If the Flames continue to win, play well, fight hard against a tough Division and improve themselves, they will be a successful hockey club.

NOTES: **Flames forward Kristian Huselius was benched in Thursday’s game vs Colorado, playing appx. six minutes. Coach Mike Keenan explained that the contest required physicality he didn’t feel would come from Huselius. That may have been the reasoning again tonight as Huselius played 6:32, mostly on the power-play... He did record one hit in that time, however. **Minnesota was without the services of defenseman Kurtis Foster, injured on Wednesday on an icing play when San Jose Shark Torrey Mitchell took him into the end boards.  **The Flames are now 6-1 in seven games against the Wild this year.  They will face Minnesota one last time 3 April 2008