Center nets game-winner in 3-2 victory.
SAN JOSE – Vincent Damphousse scored 5:47 into the third period Saturday to snap a 2-2 tie and give the San Jose Sharks a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at sold-out HP Pavilion.
The Sharks, with 64 points in 13th place in the Western Conference, can complete the ‘Sutter Sweep’ with a victory tonight against the Brian Sutter-led Chicago Blackhawks. San Jose took a 2-1 series lead over Darryl Sutter’s Flames with one game left in that series.
Vesa Toskala made 32 saves, including a stop on a Jarome Iginla penalty shot 6:23 into the third period. The rookie netminder had a 15-30-2 record with one shut-out with the Cleveland Barons after starting the season with the Sharks.
“I just tried to focus on the puck and not on the first move,” Toskala said of the kick-save toward the left post that prevented the tying goal from Iginla.
“I was impressed,” coach Ron Wilson said of Toskala’s effort. “He was a little nervous at the beginning and we didn’t play very well in front of him. (Evgeni Kabokov’s neck injury) gives us an opportunity to see Vesa play a few games.”
Damphousse’s 20th goal of the season, a backhander from the right circle, gave San Jose its first lead.
Calgary, needing a victory to overtake San Jose for 13th place, took a 1-0 lead 5:26 into the first period when Scott Nichol completed a 3-on-2 rush by tapping the puck behind Toskala.
The Sharks tied the score 54 seconds into the second period when Patrick Marleau stuffed home a pass from winger Niko Dimitrakos. The assist left Dimitrakos with 10 points (4-6) in his first 13 NHL games.
Iginla, the league’s top goal-scorer last season, made it 2-1 Flames when he drilled a slapshot over Toskala’s shoulder from 30 feet out 3:01 into the second period.
Alyn McCauley, playing in his fifth game from the Sharks since coming over from Toronto in the Owen Nolan trade, tied the score with a shot from behind the goalline 14:46 into the second period.
“”I knew I was running out of real estate so I tried to bank it off one of his pads,” McCauley said of his rush toward the goalline that led to his wrist shot off Roman Turek’s pads and into the net.
Iginla was given a penalty shot opportunity when Kyle McLaren was whistled for denying Iginla a scoring opportunity after the winger passed McLaren and neared the crease.
“That save gave us momentum” said McCauley. “He’s one of the best shooters in the game. My kudos to Vesa for a nice save.”
The Sharks, with 11 games to play, can move within one point of the Blackhawks in the standings with a regulation victory. San Jose plays in Denver Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, then hosts Boston Friday, Anaheim Saturday and Tampa Bay Monday.
