GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: CALGARY (15-18) at ST LOUIS (16-13)

By Tom James
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - Jarome Iginla continues to wreak havoc onthe St. Louis Blues, but this time, he got a helping hand fromKristian Huselius, and in turn helped Mike Keenan and theCalgary Flames make history.


Iginla, the NHL's third leading scorer, scored two power-playgoals and added two assists, and Huselius had a goal and fourassists to lead the Flames to a 5-3 win over the Blues onSunday.


It was Calgary's fifth straight victory on its six-game roadtrip as well as Keenan's 600th career victory.


The effort spoiled the St. Louis debut of center Andy McDonald,who had a goal and an assist two days after being acquired fromAnaheim for Doug Weight.


Daymond Langkow added two goals and an assist for the Flames,who have won five consecutive games on the same road trip forthe first time since defeating Philadelphia, Boston, the NewYork Islanders, New Jersey and Hartford on November 10-19, 1988.

Brad Boyes, with his 19th goal of the season, and Lee Stempniakscored for St. Louis, which has just one point while goingwinless over four straight games.


Huselius set up Iginla for the eventual game-winner at 7:55 ofthe third period. Iginla took a cross-ice pass from the29-year-old Swede in the left circle and ripped a quick wristerhigh to the far corner past St. Louis goaltender Manny Legacefor his 23rd goal of the season and seventh in five games.

"It was a game that for a bit there was going back and forth asfar as momentum," Iginla said. "But Kristian (Huselius) alwaysseemed to come up the big play when we had to have it."

The Calgary left wing completed his second five-point effort inthree games when he set up Langkow for an empty-net goal with18.2 seconds left, clinching Keenan's place alongside ScottyBowman, Al Arbour, Dick Irvin, Pat Quinn and Bryan Murray in theNHL's 600-win club.


"It means a lot of owners and (general) managers have hadconfidence in me," Kennan said. "Especially this last hire."

Iginla opened the scoring at 12:05 of the first period. The30-year-old right wing completed a three-way passing play aroundthe net, started by Huselius in the left corner, when heknocked in Daymond Langkow's centering pass.


"Our power-play unit is getting more confidence and were gettingsome momentum as a result of that success," Keenan said."There's good chemistry among the group, and once you get thatgoing, it perpetuates itself in the offense."


Another three-way passing sequence, over a wider area, led toMcDonald scoring his first goal as a Blue and fifth of theseason. Defenseman Eric Brewer, in the left faceoff circle,made a one-time return of Kariya's cross-ice pass to the righthashmark and an open McDonald, who took two strides beforefiring a wrist shot over the glove of Miikka Kiprusoff at 14:28.

McDonald, Kariya and Boyes teamed on the Blues first line andseemed to gel from the start as they combined for nine shots ongoal.


"It's good to be back with Paul (Kariya), plus, there's a goodgroup here," McDonald said. "It's tough to outscore a team likethat, but, I was really impressed with our group."

Huselius put the Flames back in front 46 seconds into the secondperiod on a rebound chance of his own drive from the high slotthat was kicked out back by Manny Legace. Craig Conroy set upHuselius with a quick drop feed after receiving a pass fromIginla, stationed along the right-wing boards.


"It is really coming together for us now. We are beginning tofeel like we can do anything, on this road trip, and especiallyon the power play." Huselius said of his work with linematesIginla and Langkow, a trio which has combined for 26 points overthe last three games.


Boyes tied it with a wrister over Kiprusoff's glove from theright faceoff circle at 7:24 after originally mishandling a feedfrom Kariya on the far wing.


Lee Stempniak gave the Blues their first lead of the game 79seconds later when he circled through the right circle frombehind the net, after a collecting short dump-in pass from JayMcClement, and lifting a backhand over Kiprusoff's rightshoulder.


Langkow tied the game at 16:29 when he tapped in a pass throughthe crease from Huselius. He won the puck from Erik Johnsonafter a pass from Brewer out of the left corner hit the backside of the goal cage.


"It was not a great pass, and it was not a great battle for thepuck at the side of the net either," Blues coach Andy Murraysaid. "I said it the other night, and, I will say it again. Ifour guys back there do not do the job - it does not matter whowe are playing, even strength, man-up or man-down - we are goingto have a tough time out there."