LAST NIGHT IN THE NHL
FLAMES at FLYERS:
Mike Richards scored the lone goal and Philadelphia goalie Antero Niittymaki was perfect through regulation, overtime and the shootout to lift the Flyers to a 1- 0 victory over the Calgary Flames.
It was the NHL’s first scoreless game decided by shootout. Only one other game this season went to overtime without a goal, but San Jose scored in the extra session to win 1- 0 at Anaheim on Nov. 4.
Despite the lack of offence, fans buzzed throughout the first shootout staged in Philadelphia. Niittymaki turned aside Kristian Huselius, Jarome Iginla and former Flyers forward Tony Amonte in the league’s new tiebreaker after making 28 saves through regulation and five minutes of overtime.
Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff outdid him until Richards finally broke through on the Flyers’ first shootout attempt.
Kiprusoff stopped 37 regular shots and denied Jeff Carter on Philadelphia’s second and final shot in the shootout.
His biggest save came with 37.5 seconds left in overtime when he stopped Mike Knuble’s breakaway.
Kiprusoff also stood tall in the third period when the Flyers held a 37- 28 shots advantage.
Niittymaki was tested in the extra session after the Flames were awarded a power play with 2: 59 remaining.
Carter nearly won it in regulation for the Flyers but he fired wide left of the net with 11 minutes remaining. Both teams had plenty of good scoring chances through the first two periods.
Flyers forward Simon Gagne, the NHL leader in goals with 23, almost had another one but he also shot wide of Kiprusoff with just over a minute remaining in the second period.
Earlier in the frame, a shot by Flames defenceman Roman Hamrlik deflected off the crossbar behind Niittymaki. DEVILS at RED WINGS:
Brendan Shanahan had two goals and moved into 15th place on the NHL’s career list, leading the Detroit Red Wings past the New Jersey Devils 5- 2. Shanahan began the game tied with Mike Bossy among the top goal scorers in league history. He made it 1- 1 in the first period, and his 575th goal got the Red Wings even 2- 2 in the second.
Detroit’s Tomas Holmstrom and Jason Williams scored late in the second, giving Detroit a two- goal lead, and Steve Yzerman made it 5- 2 midway through the third. The crowd in Detroit chanted “ Stev- ie! Stev- ie!” for their captain.
It was Yzerman’s fourth goal of the season and 682nd career. The Red Wings avoided losing three straight at home for the first time since the 1996- 97 season. Viktor Kozlov and Zach Parise scored for the Devils, who had won four of five.