Avalanche Takes Over Northwest With Win Over Flames

The Colorado Avalanche seem to have the number of the Calgary Flames, winning for the 3rd straight time over Calgary 3-2. With the win, Colorado jumps over the Flames to take first place in the Northeast Division, compiling 44 points to Calgary's 42.

Left winger Wojtek Wolski scored his team-high 13th at 13:05 of the opening period blasting a shot past Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff as the Avalanche had a 5-on-3 power play advantage after Aaron Johnson and Curtis Glencross were sent off, with Glencross receiving a highsticking double-minor. Chris Stewart put Colorado up 2-0 9:17 into the 2nd, shovelling his own rebound over Kiprusoff after Wolski had been stopped on a break and then passed to center Paul Stastny whose shot rebounded to Stewart. You couldn't ask for more from Kiprusoff, as he faced 33 shots in the first two periods alone, while Avs netminder Craig Anderson had only 14 over the same span.

Calgary finally got on the board when Rene Bourque beat Anderson at 10:34 of the 2nd period, but right winger Darcy Tucker restored Colorado's 2 goal margin with 2:41 left in the period just as the Flames had killed off another Avalanche man advantage.

Flames defenseman Mark Giordano got Calgary back with his 2nd of the season while Colorado had a man in the box, but they couldn't get the equalizer.

Both teams are off until Tuesday, with Calgary heading to St Louis while Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals head to Colorado.