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VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Vancouver Canucks have learned from past mistakes in the playoffs. The inexperienced Calgary Flames will have to figure things out as they go along.
The Canucks jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period in the series opener Wednesday night, but then let the advantage slip away in the second. Instead of caving in, they scored the next three goals and won 5-3.
When Calgary tied the game with power-play goals 28 seconds apart in the second period, it was similar to Vancouver’s previous playoff game, a Game 7 loss to Minnesota in the second round last year.
In both games, the Canucks’ 2-0 lead was cut in half following a funny bounce of the puck behind the net. The tying goal also came shortly after.
This time, though, the Canucks kept their composure.
“Before, teams would take advantage of us because when we did get scored on we weren’t the same team after, but this year we didn’t let it bother us and we just kept coming at them,” said goalie Dan Cloutier, making his fourth straight playoff appearance.
“We’ve matured in a lot of areas, and that’s a big one.”
Vancouver has won seven straight, dating to the regular season. The streak started after the Canucks went 1-3-2-1 in the first seven games following Todd Bertuzzi’s season-ending suspension for punching Colorado’s Steve Moore.
The Flames, making their first playoff appearance in eight years, started nine players with no postseason experience. They continued to take untimely penalties and will have to correct that if they want a chance to even the best-of-seven series Friday night before it shifts to Calgary for Games 3 and 4.
Vancouver finished 4-for-6 on the power play and scored its fifth goal on a delayed penalty. It was an uncharacteristic start to the playoffs for the Flames, who preach discipline.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a playoff game where there’s 16 minor penalties,” said Calgary coach Darryl Sutter, who appeared in 51 postseason games as a player and worked 69 behind the bench. “We’ve taken great pride in that all year, being in that three-to-four penalty range.”
Sutter said his top players have to be better, singling out captain Jarome Iginla and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.
Iginla, who tied for the NHL goal title this season with 41, was pointless. He recorded only four shots, all in the third period. Sutter said that Iginla played too much of nervous, perimeter game.
“That wasn’t a very good game by myself and I realize that and I plan on being better,” Iginla said Thursday after practice.
It was just the third playoff game of Iginla’s career and the first since he was a rookie with the Flames in 1996.
“Maybe I tried too hard or was overexcited or overanxious, things like that,” Iginla said. “But I’ll learn. I’ll be better next game.”
Kiprusoff, who set a modern NHL record with a 1.69 goals-against average, was beaten five times on just 22 shots. The power-play goals were scored on a tip, a screen, a rebound, and off the skate of a Calgary defenseman.
But Sutter held Kiprusoff responsible.
“It’s an old saying, but your goaltender is also your best penalty killer,” Sutter said. “If you only give up 22 shots in a game you have to do a better job.”
Kiprusoff, who also led the NHL with a .933 save percentage, agreed.
“I’m not happy how I played,” said Kiprusoff, who was crowded in front by the Canucks. “I have to do a better job of finding the puck.”
Cloutier also had to fight off traffic and was run over several times by the Flames.
“They’ve got some gritty forwards and they throw a lot of pucks at the net and go for rebounds and I think they’re going to keep doing it,” said Cloutier, who took an early retaliation penalty before settling down. “I’ve matured in a lot of areas in my game. I just have to keep doing the same thing, keep my cool, stop the puck and nothing else.”
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Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.