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Kiprusoff blanks Sharks as Flames force Game 7

Sun 20th, April 2008

Calgary, AB (Sports Network) - Miikka Kiprusoff made 21 saves to notch his sixth career playoff shutout, as the Calgary Flames staved off elimination with a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks to force a decisive Game 7 in their Western Conference quarterfinal.

Owen Nolan and Daymond Langkow scored for the Flames, who evened the best-of- seven series at three games apiece. Calgary is hoping to avoid a third straight first-round exit.

"I think we really paid the price," Kiprusoff said of winning despite the physical play. "Guys were blocking shots and we played a pretty smart and strong game."

Evgeni Nabokov allowed two goals on 25 shots for San Jose, which will host its first Game 7 in franchise history on Tuesday at HP Pavilion.

"We didn't do things to create scoring chances," San Jose's Ryane Clowe said. "When we got a power play we moved the puck around pretty good and had chances, but 5-on-5 in the playoffs you have to do more to create chances and get to the net."

The Flames came out with a ton of energy and spent much of the first period in the Sharks end, taking 11 shots on goal and emerging with a 1-0 lead.

Off a long, lead pass from Robyn Regehr that allowed the Flames to gain entry into the offensive zone, Nolan corralled a bouncing puck in the low slot and tucked it past the left pad of Nabokov with 8:27 remaining in the opening stanza.

With under three minutes left in the second period, Milan Michalek led a 3- on-1 rush for the Sharks, but failed to get off a shot.

Shortly after that opportunity, the Flames grabbed a 2-0 edge, as Langkow fired a wrister from the left circle that beat Nabokov on the short side with 57 seconds to play before the second intermission.

Kiprusoff stopped all seven shots he faced in the third period to preserve the shutout.

Game Notes

Calgary finished 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Sharks went 0- for-3...Attendance: 19,289.

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