Flames Flicker, Snuff Canucks in Overtime

Joel Otto and Mike Vernon were two players in the right place for the Calgary Flames Saturday night.

Their combined efforts added up to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh and deciding game of their Stanley Cup playoff series.

“I don’t get too many big goals but I’ll take it anyway I can,” said Otto, who had Jim Peplinski’s shot bounce off his skate past Canuck goaltender Kirk McLean with 39 seconds left in a wild extra period that saw the teams take 22 shots.

The victory sent the Flames into the Smythe Division final series against the Kings beginning Tuesday night in Calgary.

“Vancouver played their hearts out,” Otto said. “We’re just happy things went our way.”

The Flames outshot the Canucks, 46-45, but would have been heading for the golf course if not for Vernon’s goaltending.

“It was a do-or-die situation,” said the little goaltender, who made 42 saves. “I just tried to forget about everything and concentrate on the puck and what was happening in front of me.”

During the overtime, Vernon robbed Stan Smyl on a breakaway, got a toe on Petri Skriko’s shot to send it wide and watched as another try by Smyl dribbled past the corner of an open net.

Bob McCammon, coach of a Vancouver team that was supposed to be nothing more than a stepping stone for the Flames, was gracious in defeat.

“People thought they’d choke tonight but they didn’t,” McCammon said of the Flames. “I said the goalies would make the difference. Vernon made one more save along the way.”

McCammon was proud of the effort made by his team of underdogs.

“We played the way we wanted to,” he said. “That was our goal, more pressure. “

Vancouver’s Doug Lidster forced overtime at 7:12 of the third period when he gloved a clearing pass at the blue line and blasted a shot that deflected off Flame defenseman Brad McCrimmon and into the net.

Joe Nieuwendyk and Joey Mullen had power-play goals, and Gary Roberts also scored for Calgary.

Robert Nordmark and Trevor Linden scored power-play goals for Vancouver.

The Flames, who led the league for a second consecutive season with 117 points, finished 43 points ahead of the Canucks in the Smythe Division.

Mullen put the Flames ahead, 3-2, with just 35 seconds left in the second period. His shot bounced off defenseman Harold Snepsts’ skate and past McLean.

Roberts’ controversial goal at 18:01 of the first period put Calgary ahead, 2-1. Al MacInnis let go a blistering shot from the point that deflected off a fallen Roberts and into the top right corner of the net. The goal judge didn’t turn on the light, but television replays clearly showed the puck went into the net. After conferring with the goal judge via earphones, referee Bill McCreary ruled it a goal.