The Calgary Flames roared to a 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday to continue their incredible run of success away from home.
Miikka Kiprusoff made 22 saves and the Northwest Division-leading Flames got five goals from as many different players as they improved to 10-1-3 on the road.
Captain Jarome Iginla notched his 17th goal of the season while David Moss, Nigel Dawes, Pardy and Curtis Glencross also contributed scores in the team’s fourth straight win.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Predators, who entered the contest looking for their ninth win in 10 home games, continued their trend of losing to the Flames (17-6-3) and have now dropped eight of the last ten to their opponents.
Goaltender Pekka Rinne made 25 saves but could not stop the onslaught from the red hot Flames.
After a scoreless first period, Moss gave Calgary the lead 92 seconds into the second on a breakaway. Dawes made it 2-0 three minutes later and the visitors tacked on three more in the final period.
It was the 33rd career shutout for Kiprusoff, coming as the Flames set a franchise record by earning 10 points in 10 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Mike Rupp shook off a leg injury in the third period, snapped a tie with his second goal of the night, and then completed his first NHL hat trick to help the Pittsburgh Penguins down the New York Rangers 5-2.
Rupp’s first goal gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead in the second period and his second made it 3-2 with 8:46 remaining. Rupp had left the ice for the dressing room about five and a half minutes earlier after he banged his left leg against the boards after being hit from behind by defenseman Dan Girardi.
Rupp scored into an empty net with 1:40 remaining to give him a career-high eight goals.
Marian Gaborik scored both Rangers goals to push his NHL-leading total to 21.
RED WINGS 4, STARS 1
At Detroit, Todd Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist, and Jimmy Howard made 29 saves to lift Detroit over Dallas.
Drew Miller, Darren Helm and Dan Cleary also scored for Detroit, which snapped its home scoreless streak at 1 hour, 56 minutes and 30 seconds. Kris Draper added two assists for the Red Wings, who hadn’t scored at home since Nov. 20.
Brenden Morrow scored for Dallas and Marty Turco stopped 28 shots.
CAPITALS 3, HURRICANES 2
At Raleigh, North Carolina, Nicklas Backstrom had two goals and an assist, while Eric Fehr added a goal and an assist to lead Washington past Carolina.
Washington is on a three-game winning streak and sits atop the Eastern Conference standings, while Carolina has lost five straight and has the worst record in the league.
Washington played the last two and a half periods without scoring leader Alexander Ovechkin, who was helped off the ice at 7:55 of the first period after a knee-to-knee collision with Tim Gleason.
SABRES 3, MAPLE LEAFS 0
At Toronto, Ryan Miller stopped all 38 shots he faced to earn his third shutout of the season for Buffalo.
Tim Kennedy, Henrik Tallinder and Jochen Hecht all scored for Buffalo.
BLUE JACKETS 5, BLUES 2
At Columbus, Ohio, R.J. Umberger scored three goals for his second career hat trick to help Columbus end a five-game losing skid.
Steve Mason won the goaltender battle with non-relative Chris Mason stopping 27 shots, including Paul Kariya’s wrister from the high slot with just over a minute left that would have tied it.
Erik Johnson and Paul Kariya scored for the Blues.
THRASHERS 4, PANTHERS 3
At Atlanta, Maxim Afinogenov scored with six seconds remaining in the third period to give Atlanta its fourth consecutive victory and send Florida to a fifth straight loss.
Florida Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun was taken off the ice on a stretcher after he was accidentally hit in the head by the stick of teammate Keith Ballard in the opening period.
Vokoun had a cut ear but was awake and alert when taken to a nearby hospital.
Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk had scored on his own rebound seconds before the incident and Ballard swung his stick in frustration, striking the Czech netminder.
AVALANCHE 3, LIGHTNING 0
At Tampa, Florida, Matt Duchene had two goals and Craig Anderson made 33 saves to lead Colorado over Tampa Bay.
Anderson stopped a good scoring chance by Steven Stamkos 24 seconds into the game en route to his third shutout this season and 10th overall.
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