Red Wings’ Rally Falls Short Against Flames

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12 years ago

The Detroit Red Wings scored twice in the third period Thursday night but couldn’t make up for allowing three goals in the first 35:47 of play, falling to the Calgary Flames, 3-2.

Curtis Glencross scored twice for the Flames – the game’s opening goal and the eventual game-winner.

With 3:50 remaining in the first and Calgary on a power play, Detroit goalie Ty Conklin stopped an Olli Jokinen chance from the outside but couldn’t control the rebound. Glencross jumped to the side of the net and chipped the puck over Conklin to get the Flames on the board.

Just 1:30 into the second, Blake Comeau made it 2-0. Wings’ defenseman Niklas Kronwall jumped up in the neutral zone to hit Tim Jackman but Jackman got the puck through to Brendan Morrison. Morrison and Comeau continued on a two-on-one and Morrison’s centering pass slipped through the defending Brad Stuart, getting to Comeau for an easy shot into the empty side of the net.

At 5:47 of the middle period, Glencross scored again when he raced down the right wing and fired a shot off the far post and into the net as the teams skated four-on-four.

Detroit wouldn’t get on the board until 4:55 of the third period, when Jiri Hudler evaded a check and backhanded a shot past Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff from in the slot.

With just 4:12 remaining, the Red Wings drew to within a goal when Pavel Datsyuk won a draw in the right circle back to Ian White for a blast that deflected past Kiprusoff.

Detroit would be unable to even things up, though Henrik Zetterberg rang a shot off the post in the closing minutes.

The Flames finished the night one-for-three on the power play with the Red Wings going scoreless on two tries with the extra man.

Conklin stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced while Kiprusoff made 29 saves on 31 shots.

The Red Wings finished their Western Canadian road trip with one win and two losses. They’ll pick up again in Nashville after Christmas.

Jakub Kindl was a healthy scratch for the Red Wings as Mike Commodore made only his fourth appearance of the season.