Jarome Iginla is trying to will the Flames into the playoffs. He certainly has the talent to do so.
The Calgary forward will look to score in his sixth straight contest and improve his club's playoff chances tonight in a matchup with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Iginla has logged seven goals and six assists over a seven-game point streak and scored his 30th goal of the season in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime victory against the Sharks. He also assisted on Sven Baertschi's second-period tally and Matt Stajan scored the game-winner with 40 seconds left in overtime. Miikka Kiprusoff added 29 saves.
Iginla scored the 514th goal of his career and reached the 30-goal mark for the 11th straight season. He is the seventh player to do so in NHL history, joining Wayne Gretzky, Phil Esposito, Jaromir Jagr, Bobby Hull, Mike Gartner and Marcel Dionne.
"We are starting to come together now," said Iginla. "We've had a ton of injuries this year, but we're starting to get healthy and the young guys who have been filling in are still doing their job."
Calgary has needed to count on some young players with Tim Jackman, Mike Cammalleri, Lance Bouma and TJ Brodie all doubtful again for tonight due to upper-body injuries.
Iginla extended his goal-scoring streak on the same night that Curtis Glencross had his string of goals in seven straight contests snapped. The forward never really had a chance to extend his run as he was given a boarding major and ejected late in the first period.
Still, Calgary won a season high-tying fourth straight game and will try to win five in a row for the first time since a six-game run from Jan. 21-Feb. 3 of last year. With 78 points, the Flames are tied with the Sharks and Kings for ninth place in the Western Conference, two points behind the Avalanche for the final playoff berth.
Colorado has played two more games than the Flames and visits New Jersey this evening.
The Coyotes are also keeping an eye on the Avalanche as they lead the club by just one point for the seventh spot in the West. Phoenix is also looking towards a bigger goal as it sits only two points behind idle Dallas for first place in the Pacific Division.
After beginning the month 0-4-1, the Coyotes have won two of three and bounced back from a shootout loss to the Predators on Monday to best the Canucks 5-4 last night in Vancouver.
Antoine Vermette led the way with a goal and two assists, while Ray Whitney helped to set up three goals. Captain Shane Doan and defenseman Oliver Ekman- Larsson added a goal and an assist each, while Mike Smith made 39 saves in the big win.
"It was a game we found a way to win and you feel like you're getting two extra points. It was huge for us," said Doan.
Phoenix was able to notch the victory despite scratching Radim Vrbata before the game due to illness. The forward leads the 'Yotes with 30 goals.
Defenseman Adrian Aucoin was also limited last night after suffering an undisclosed injury during the game and Martin Hanzal remains out with an upper-body issue.
Phoenix won the opener of a four-game road trip that ends with a big matchup in Dallas next Tuesday following Sunday's visit to Edmonton.
The Coyotes had won six straight over the Flames before Calgary notched a 4-2 win at Phoenix on March 1. The Coyotes have won three straight trips to Calgary.
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