Click Here

 
You are Here: Home > Milan Michalek scores twice to lead San Jose over Calgary 4-1
Milan Michalek scores twice to lead San Jose over Calgary 4-1
By Associated Press
Oct 23, 2007 - 1:25:42 AM

Email this article
Printer friendly page

San Jose Sharks' Jonathan Cheechoo, left, gets hauled to the ice by Calgary Flames' Matthew Lombardi during third period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. The Sharks beat the Flames 4-1. (AP Photo/Jeff McIntosh, The Canadian Press)


CALGARY, Alberta -- Milan Michalek came up big with San Jose shorthanded.

Michalek scored two goals -- one shorthanded -- to lead the Sharks to a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.

With San Jose leading 1-0 in the second period, Michalek delivered a critical blow with the shorthanded goal at 7:33. Calgary deployed four forwards on the power play, and the move backfired when Alex Tanguay mishandled the puck at the Sharks blue line. Michalek scooped up the turnover and broke down the wing, scoring on his own rebound against Miikka Kiprusoff.

"They have a pretty good power play at home so that was a very important goal for us to get," Michalek said.

Sharks coach Ron Wilson said he hoped this will be the breakout game for Michalek.

"He scored, he blocked shots, he was making plays killing penalties on the power play, he played really well tonight. It was easily his best game of the year," Wilson said.

Tanguay accepted the blame for the goal.

"It was a stupid play and it shifted the momentum of the game," he said.

Michalek added his second of the night and sixth of the season in the third period off a setup by Jeremy Roenick from behind the net.

Ryane Clowe and Steve Bernier also scored for San Jose (5-3-1), which began a four-game road trip that continues Friday in Detroit.

Daymond Langkow netted his eighth of the season for the Flames (4-3-2), who lost in regulation for the first time in six games (4-1-1).

"We weren't good enough," Flames captain Jarome Iginla said. "We look at ourselves and we know that wasn't even close. By no means did we deserve to be in that game.

San Jose Sharks' goalie Evgeni Nabokov, of Kazakhstan, makes a save during third period NHL hockey action against the Calgary Flames in Calgary, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. The Sharks beat the Flames 4-1. (AP Photo/Jeff McIntosh, The Canadian Press)


"This is going to sting for a little bit, but we'll get ready for the next game."

Until Langkow's goal with 3:33 left, the only shot to get past Evgeni Nabokov came off the right arm of Eric Godard as he went to the net.

It was originally ruled a goal that would have given the Flames a 1-0 lead. However, replays indicated Godard slightly moved his arm toward the puck as he skated, so the goal was waved off at 16:01 of the first.

That proved to be important.

Shortly after, San Jose took advantage of the first power play of the game with Joe Thornton and Roenick combining to set up Clowe with 36 seconds left in the period.

It was a sweet turn of events for Roenick, who on his previous shift was booed off the ice by the sold-out crowd. Robyn Regehr had delivered a heavy body check against Roenick at the Flames blue line that appeared to leave the Sharks forward a bit woozy. Roenick staggered slightly at the blue line after he got up, remained there for a couple of minutes, and was attended to by the before skating to the bench.

"I got hit hard and got my bell rung, my head rattled against the glass, I thought I was Batman for a minute there and it took a couple seconds for me to get my bearings," Roenick said.

He mockingly waved to the unappreciative crowd as he skated to the Sharks bench.

"When something like that, where a player is injured and you come off the ice and people boo, that's bush league to me," Roenick said. "It's pretty disrespectful to boo them and I just wanted to acknowledge to them that I'm still here and I'm still playing."

Bernier scored at 16:22 of the second when he tipped in Craig Rivet's point shot. Flames coach Mike Keenan pulled Kiprusoff for the first time this season and replaced him with Curtis McElhinney. Kiprusoff stopped 15 of 18 shots.

McElhinney faced only two in 23-plus minutes, giving up Michalek's second goal on San Jose's only shot of the final period.

Notes

Calgary RW Owen Nolan was honored before the game for appearing in his 1,000th NHL game. Among the gifts he received was an ATV from his Flames teammates, a commemorative painting, a silver stick, and a box of wine from his former organization, the Sharks. In eight seasons, Nolan played 568 games for the Sharks -- the third most in team history. ... Injuries to Fs David Moss (concussion) and Wayne Primeau (ankle) Saturday created a spot for LW Eric Nystrom, recalled Sunday from Quad City (AHL). It was the third career game for Nystrom. ... San Jose D Kyle McLaren (chest contusion) sat out. Alexei Semenov made his Sharks debut in McLaren's place.


Copyright 2007 - MOP Squad Sports

Top of Page