Flames Are Too Hot to Handle

Sure, this is Canada’s game, as residents north of the border proclaim often, including Calgary Coach Darryl Sutter.

Miikka Kiprusoff, though, is becoming Finland’s treasure, and as cool in net as his homeland on Christmas.

The Flames incited a raucous behavior, on the ice and among the 19,221 fans Saturday at the Pengrowth Saddledome. They banged and battered the Tampa Bay Lightning throughout Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, producing a 3-0 victory that gave Calgary a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Jarome Iginla continued to make a case as the best player in hockey. He helped whip fans into a frenzy with a Gordie Howe hat trick -- a goal, an assist and a fight.

Chris Simon got the crowd boiling with a second-period goal that broke a scoreless tie. Shean Donovan had them howling moments later with a slick goal on a two-on-one break.

And through it all, the one guy in the Saddledome who went through the game with a shrug was Kiprusoff.

“You never know when Kipper is happy, you never know when he’s sad,” Flame center Craig Conroy said. “You just can’t tell.”

Who needs emotions?

Kiprusoff made 21 saves for his fifth shutout of the playoffs, making this a block party stretching across Canada. The Flames have had a unifying effect on the country to the point where Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin and his conservative counterpart Stephen Harper both did photo ops wearing Flame jerseys Friday.

“You got to remember, Calgary is Canada,” Sutter said. “It’s our game.”

For it to become their cup, Calgary and Canada will need more work from a Fin.

Kiprusoff was acquired in a November trade with San Jose, where he was buried as the third goaltender.

The deal gets better every day.

Sutter, though, had an inkling, having coached Kiprusoff in San Jose.

That trust has been repaid. Kiprusoff made a stop of a point-blank shot by Fredrik Modin in the second period, the first of many saves that had the Calgary crowd rollicking.

“Look at tonight, he had some huge saves,” Donovan said. “The reason we’re here is he’s the best goalie in the league.”

The Flames had only two shots in the first period, content to punish the Lightning into submission with checks. Iginla, in particular, seemed spoiling for a fight and got one when he harassed Vincent Lecavalier into a brawl in front of the Calgary net.

Both went off for fighting, but only Iginla seemed to come back energized. Lecavalier, whose play was overwhelming in Game 2, seemed to vanish.

“That fight was huge,” Simon said. “It set the tone for us.”

After showing off brute skills, Iginla displayed his free-skating abilities. It started with Kiprusoff, who blocked Brad Richards’ short-handed try on a breakaway. Iginla took it from there.

He sidestepped Martin St. Louis, then leaped over defenseman Darryl Sydor without losing the puck. Iginla then centered to Simon, who got off three shots near the crease with the third trickling in for a 1-0 lead 13:53 into the second period.

Iginla later sent the party into the Calgary streets with a third-period goal, his 12th of the playoffs.

“It’s great to be a Canadian team playing in Canada for the Stanley Cup,” Conroy said.

Even if they need a little help from Finland.