Miika Kiprusoff returns, stops 32 shots as Flames scorch Shark

Calgary, AB, Canada (4E Sports) – Netminder Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 32 shots in his return from sprained MCL while the Calgary Flames broke away in the third period en route to a 4-1 triumph over the San Jose Sharks Wednesday at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Blake Comeau and Jarome Iginla scored 1:39 apart in the third while Curtis Glencross capped the win with a goal in the last 56 seconds to help the Flames (9-8-1) climb over the .500 mark for the first time this season and give Kiprusoff a victorious comeback.

Kiprusoff missed 13 games after suffering a Grade 2 sprain of his medial collateral ligament on Feb. 5 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Roman Cervenka scored his third goal of the year in the first period while Glencross, Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester and TJ Brodie also had an assist each for the Flames.

Thomas Greiss saved 22 shots while Joe Thornton scored his fifth goal for the Sharks, who were obviously tired after playing their second game in less than 24 hours. They dropped to 11-7-4 after snapping a two-game winning streak.

In the first period, Iginla found Bouwmeester jumping in on the rush, but Greiss stopped the defenseman’s shot.

Jumping on the rebound, Cervenka buried the puck into the partially-open net to give Calgary a 1-0 lead at the 4:27 mark.

A turnover off the stick of Mark Giordano allowed the Sharks to tie the game in the second period.

Stripping the puck off Giordano along the boards, Pavelski walked out of the corner and fed a pass across the top of the crease that Thornton tapped across the goal line at 13:53 to make it 1-1.

After a scoreless second, Comeau beat Greiss with a snap shot blocker side for his first goal of the season just 2:57 into the third to give Calgary a 2-1 lead.

Iginla extended that lead to two at 4:36 off a San Jose turnover in its own end. Jiri Hudler picked the puck off the side boards and found Iginla, who pumped another shot from the high slot past the blocker of Greiss to give Calgary a 3-1 lead.

With a two-goal cushion, the 36-year-old Kiprusoff made 17 third-period saves to slam the door on the Sharks.

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