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Calgary beats Sharks, forcing Game 7

Associated Press
Article Launched: 04/20/2008 07:43:26 PM PDT

The Sharks were one win away from advancing in the NHL playoffs, and they still are after they were shut out Sunday night 2-0 by Calgary in Game 6 of this first-round series in Alberta.

The pivotal Game 7 is Tuesday at HP Pavilion. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.

Facing elimination in front of raucous home crowd that braved freezing temperatures and snow to get to the Pengrowth Saddledome, the Flames checked San Jose relentlessly along the boards. Miikka Kiprusoff was outstanding during the stretches when Calgary's scoring chances dried up and the Sharks were pressing.

Calgary held San Jose scoreless on three power-play chances and went 0 for 2 with a man advantage.

Owen Nolan, a former Sharks star, opened the scoring midway through the first period and Langkow made it 2-0 with 57 seconds left in the second.

Daymond Langkow took two strides from the boards and beat Evgeni Nabokov with a low wrist shot stick side for his third of the postseason.

Nabokov made 23 saves.

The Sharks mustered some sustained pressure in Calgary's zone after two scoreless power plays in the second period, but botched a 3-on-1 opportunity with just over three minutes to go.

Milan Michalek hung onto the puck too long and then didn't get a clean shot away. The Sharks No. 2 scorer during the regular season remained pointless in the series.

Kiprusoff's pad save on Ryane Clowe from close range late in the second and a quick glove on Joe Thornton's through traffic during a Sharks power play early in the second period helped preserve Calgary's lead heading into the third.

Calgary carried the play off the opening faceoff. The Flames outhit the Sharks 13-4 and won almost 70 percent of the faceoffs in the first period. They also outshot San Jose 5-1 in the first five minutes.

A couple big shifts and hard grunt work behind San Jose's net midway through the opening period set the table for the Flames' first goal.

Kristian Huselius reclaimed the puck that was getting away from him with deft stick work and he got a backhand shot away. Nolan corralled the rebound and scored low stick side on Nabokov at 11:33 for his second of the series.