Calgary Sneaks By Ducks

Sandy McCarthy’s overtime shot from the left faceoff circle seemed harmless enough, simply a quick turn and a blind flip toward the net. A routine save for Mighty Duck goaltender Mikhail Shtalenkov.

But Shtalenkov never saw the puck coming. Teammate Sean Pronger had screened him and the puck nestled cleanly, if unspectacularly, in the back of the net 1:36 into overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 3-2 victory Saturday over the Ducks.

It provided a frustrating capper to a game the Ducks appeared to have under control entering the third period. The Ducks (11-12-5) squandered a two-goal lead in the third period and lost a chance to move above .500 for the first time since Nov. 14.

“We didn’t give up that many scoring opportunities did we?” Duck Coach Pierre Page said. “It’s not like we were outplayed. We couldn’t do much about their goals.”

All three Calgary goals came from about the same spot--at a sharp angle in or near the left faceoff circle. Michael Nylander and Theoren Fleury had the other Calgary goals.

Fleury’s goal made him the leading goal-scorer in franchise history with 315.

“I thought we played a pretty good road game,” Page said. “It was there for us to win. Leading, 2-0, in the third period, the game is there for you to win. [But] I thought we slacked off against Edmonton [in a 3-1 victory]. I’ll have to watch the tape to know about tonight.”

As ever, the Ducks could have used some help from an absent friend, now missing in action for 28 games and unlikely to be returning before the Olympics in February.

The crowd of 18,344 at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome included Andy Murray of the Canadian national team, who will get a chance to coach unsigned restricted free agent Paul Kariya.

Kariya, one of 23 players selected Saturday to the Canadian Olympic team, is expected to begin workouts with the national team here Monday.

“He’ll be in our regular training program: two hours on the ice in the morning and in our off-ice [weight training] program in the afternoon,” Murray said. “I’ve talked to him and he’s very enthused to play with us. Obviously, he would have liked to be playing here tonight.”

Page would someday like to see Kariya playing for the Ducks. It always seems to help ease Page’s pain to have Teemu Selanne skating with the puck ahead of a pack of defenders.

“He’s been good every night,” Page said of Selanne before the game. “With all the adversity we’ve faced [because of Kariya’s absence], he’s just been unbelievable for us.”

There was Selanne again in the first period, in the clear after an pass from Tomas Sandstrom freed him from Calgary defenseman Jamie Allison at the blue line.

In a flash, the puck was in the back of the net and the Ducks had a 1-0 lead at 13:48 of the first period.

Selanne’s second goal, his league-leading 23rd of the season, came with similar swiftness.

One moment, Calgary defenseman Zarley Zalapski had the puck. And the next instant, he put a clearing pass on Selanne’s stick.

Selanne faked Zalapski with a quick move to the left, then a swing to the right. In an instant, he was alone in front of goalie Rick Tabaracci. A move to the backhand, a flip and a goal.

“Tremendous. Unreal,” Page said.

Instead of a 1-0 lead after two periods, Selanne gave the Ducks a more comfortable, 2-0, advantage going into the game’s final 20 minutes.

The lead would not last. The Flames awakened from a 40-minute slumber in fine fashion in the game’s final period and overtime.

Nylander scored Calgary’s first goal with a quick shot after winning a faceoff in the left circle at 5:30 of the third. Fleury tied the score, 2-2, with another shot from the left faceoff circle.

“You give them that shot,” Page said of Fleury’s goal. “But I’m sure Mikhail would like to have a chance at stopping that shot again.”

McCarthy then won it in overtime with his almost casual wrist shot.