Comeback is thrown back

Larry MacDougal, Associated Press

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom makes a save on a Calgary Flames shot during the first period of Tuesday's NHL game.

Punchless for two periods, the Wild rallied -- only to have Calgary win it late.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 14, 2007 - 9:25 AM

CALGARY, ALBERTA - It's a good thing for the Calgary Flames that the Wild gets to come to Cowtown four times a season.

The Wild has routinely been the Flames' version of penicillin -- the cure for all their ills.

It's always something that kills the Wild at the Saddledome, and Tuesday night was no different as Minnesota suffered a devastating 3-2 loss after battling back in the third period to take a one-goal lead.

"More of the same thing. It's unreal," coach Jacques Lemaire said of the Wild's 17th loss in 20 visits to Calgary. "You're wondering what you have to do to get a win here. Guys played well, played hard, we had them, but they always come out on top."

Doug Risebrough probably wishes he now executed that Kristian Huselius-for-Pascal Dupuis trade two years ago.

The Wild general manager balked at the last second at, ironically, then-Florida GM and now-Flames coach Mike Keenan's proposed trade.

Tuesday, Huselius scored the winning goal with 52.5 seconds left. This came after Mikko Koivu scored two third-period goals to rally the Wild back from a 1-0 deficit.

But 21 seconds later, who else but Jarome Iginla, always a thorn in the Wild's side, found a way to score his 24th career goal against Minnesota by sheer luck.

His slapshot took off like a pinball, deflecting first off Wild defenseman Nick Schultz, then off partner Brent Burns' skate and by a stunned Niklas Backstrom.

"Probably fourth goal they've had like that this season here against us," Backstrom said. "Their bounces in this rink."

The sinking Wild fell to 2-6-1 in its past nine games overall and 0-4-1 in its past five on the road. But the Wild deserved at least a point for its effort Tuesday.

With the Flames holding a 1-0 lead off defenseman Dion Phaneuf's power-play goal through two periods, Koivu came to the rescue in the third with go-to guys Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra still out because of groin injuries.

Koivu, who has been playing great hockey lately but without a goal since Oct. 21, tied the score when he slipped by Craig Conroy's backcheck and deflected Mark Parrish's pass in off his skate. It was Koivu's first goal in nine games.

Then, after Parrish was high-sticked, Koivu scored a power-play goal for a 2-1 Wild lead at 9:52 when he redirected Finnish pal Petteri Nummelin's pass from the slot by another close friend, Miikka Kiprusoff.

But with the Wild gleeful, Iginla quickly scored the fluky tying goal.

"It's frustrating they score a goal like that," Schultz said. "[Iginla] shoots the puck from everywhere and I tried to get a stick on it. Just an unlucky bounce."

Then, with the Wild less than a minute from overtime and at least one point, Daymond Langkow kept a puck in at the blue line. He passed behind Burns to Huselius for a 2-on-1 down low. Huselius shot, although Backstrom said he thought he tried to pass to David Moss.

"The puck bounced and just hit the tip of his blade and beat me five-hole," Backstrom said. "Not good."

Not at all, as the Wild, which played with Nummelin back on defense because Lemaire benched veteran Keith Carney after a first-period penalty, now heads to Edmonton with consecutive divisional losses to begin this four-game trip.

"It's disheartening, that one," Brian Rolston said. "We played so hard. It was unfortunate the way [Iginla's] slapshot goes off about five guys to tie it up, especially when we worked so hard to take the lead. Tough loss, but we can take from this that we competed very hard."

That doesn't show up in the standings, however.

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com

Recent Minnesota Wild stories

Kiprusoff's 38 saves, Iginla's 2 goals give Calgary a 5-2 win over Maple Leafs - November 14, 2007

Kiprusoff's 38 saves, Iginla's 2 goals give Calgary a 5-2 win over Maple Leafs - Jarome Iginla scored two goals and Miikka Kiprusoff made 38 saves and the Calgary Flames earned a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. More