CALGARY 3 VANCOUVER 2 (SO)

If this is what Calgary hockey fans can expect should the Flames somehow track down a berth in the post-season, then it's going to be a lot of fun.

In a game that featured some bone-shaking hits, a couple of fights and some absolutely outstanding goaltending, the underdog Flames set down the mighty Vancouver Canucks 3-2 Saturday night in a shootout at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The Flames jumped up one spot with the win and into a share of ninth place in the Western Conference with Colorado to remain just two back of eighthplace Phoenix.

It was the Flames first win over the Canucks on home ice since Oct. 16 of 2009, although it also was their second victory in a row against Vancouver.

Remember, they stunned the Canucks 3-1 back on Dec. 23 at Vancouver when goalie Leland Irving posted his first and only National Hockey League victory.

On this Hockey Day in Canada, however, it was Miikka Kiprusoff fending off the explosive visitors for his 301st career victory in a first-star performance.

The victory enabled the Flames to pull in points in five consecutive games (30-2) and halt a three-game run and five-game road winning streak by the Canucks.

Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla scored for Calgary in the shootout as Kiprusoff put an explanation point on a 29-save outing by only allowing Alex Burrows to beat him in the showdown.

Mike Cammalleri, in the first period, and rookie Roman Horak, in the second period, scored for the Flames in regulation time.

Cody Hodgson and David Booth replied for the Canucks, the latter's ninth goal of the season during the eighth minute of the third period sending the game into overtime.

It never would have got there but for a couple of incredible saves by Kipper, one in particular against Henrik Sedin. Roberto Luongo, who only faced 18, also robbed Iginla with a slick glove grab on a clean breakaway with two minutes to play.

As rosy as the outcome was, there also was some more bad news. Second-line centre Mikael Backlund suffered an undisclosed upper body injury during the second period and did not return.

Backlund appeared to hurt a shoulder when he challenged Andrew Alberts to a fight after the Vancouver defenceman had painted the sideboards with linemate Blake Comeau.

The Flames now prepare for Tuesday's clash with Dion Phaneuf and the invading Toronto Maple Leafs.

It was somewhat of weird first period as the Canucks hemmed the Flames in their own zone for most of the first four minutes but they didn't generate anything horribly threatening, either.

In fact, it took the Flames almost nine minutes to get their first shot on goal, another three minutes to get their second and a little more than 15 minutes to mark their third as the two clubs settled into a stiffchecking affair in the neutral zone.

Calgary seemed to build some momentum from the tiff, picked up their offensive attack and were rewarded when Cammalleri cashed his 12th of the season just before the 18minute mark on the team's seventh and final shot of the period.

It also was Cammalleri's fourth shot of the period and that was four more than Vancouver got off in the final 10 minutes.

Horak, who was just summoned from AHL Abbotsford on Friday, ended a 35-game drought when he caught Luongo off the short side post to onetime a feed from behind the net by Bouma a little more than two minutes into the second period.

MONTREAL 5 TORONTO 0

- TORONTO - It is a disturbing trend. Just when you start to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs are gaining traction and climbing up the standings, the team goes into a funk and takes a step backwards.

There is no reason for it. It has simply become something that you now expect.

In January, Toronto went on a four-game winning streak. That was immediately followed by three straight losses. Then Toronto went 6-1-1 and seemed to have its sight on home-ice advantage for the playoffs.

But after Saturday night's one-sided 5-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens extended the Leafs' losing streak to three games, they are once again dangerously close to missing out on the post-season.

EDMONTON 4 OTTAWA 3

- OTTAWA - After slogging through eight straight road games without a victory, the Edmonton Oilers finally found their way back to the win column.

And the most unusual of suspects played a hand in the 4-3 NHL decision Saturday afternoon at Scotiabank Place.

Shawn Horcoff, Magnus Paajarvi and Ben Eager all scored in regulation, then Taylor Hall stepped up with a backhand winner 17 seconds into overtime.

The Oilers are now 7202 away from Rexall Place.

It took under five minutes for the Oilers to give up the first goal in what proved to be another slow start. After killing off the first of Hall's two firstperiod penalties, Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson snapped his 19th goal of the season past Nikolai Khabibulin at 4: 36.

The veteran goaltender had turned away the other 31 shots through the first 34 minutes, long enough to keep the Sens at bay. That opened the door for Paajarvi's first goal of the season.