| Flames burn Devils By STEVE MACFARLANE, QMI AGency |    |
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CALGARY - Touted as legendary netminder Martin Brodeur�s likely last trip to the Saddledome, there were plenty of New Jersey Devils jerseys bearing his name and number spotted in the stands.
Hope they arrived early.
Brodeur didn�t last long protecting the New Jersey net, giving up a pair of softies to Calgary Flames defencemen before being yanked less than six minutes into the opening period.
That�s got to be a sign things are going your way. The Flames finished with almost as many goals as the Devils had saves on the night.
The Flames took full advantage of the questionable goaltending during their 6-3 victory. That and some solid netminding from their own star, Miikka Kiprusoff, were the reasons they won. Otherwise, they were outshot and outplayed by the Devils.
By the end of 40 minutes, however, the Flames were sitting pretty with five goals on just 11 shots � so while not the most exciting victory you�ll see at the Saddledome this season, it was arguably the safest lead they�ve held here heading into the third period.
Well, at least it looked that way. There were seeds of doubt creeping in by the time Patrik Elias scored the Devils� third goal with plenty of time left in the third period.
But Flames head coach Brent Sutter called a timeout, and Jarome Iginla responded with 501st NHL goal on the team�s first shot of the final frame to lock up the two points for the NHL standings.
The win extended their home-ice winning streak to seven games and brought them just a little closer to the playoff pack in the Western Conference.
Jay Bouwmeester started the scoring with a soft wrist-shot from the blueline that somehow found its way through the 39-year-old future first-ballot hall of famer.
But in case anyone thought that was a fluke, fellow Flames defenceman Cory Sarich � who hadn�t scored on anyone all season � floated one in on the far side with an off-angle slapshot from the top of the circle.
That unlikely Flames scoring duo now has three goals on the year.
Brodeur�s backup Johan Hedberg didn�t fare any better, as the Flames continued to pad their lead in the first period.
Curtis Glencross was on the receiving end of a stellar no-look backhand pass from line-mate Olli Jokinen on a rush and snapped his shot into the net off Hedburg�s right pad to make it 3-0 for the hosts.
Then another Flames defenceman got in on the fun, with rookie T.J. Brodie blasting a slapshot in off the far post on the powerplay to give his Flames a four-goal lead few thought was possible coming into what was pegged as a goaltenders� battle.
That war obviously never panned out.
Kiprusoff, who had to be sharp in the late stages as the Devils poured on the pressure, had a little trouble in the second period. Ilya Kovalchuk rifled a rebound batted over by rookie Adam Henrique into the top shelf to snap the shutout bid with five minutes to play in the middle frame.
Lee Stempniak restored the four-goal gap with his ninth of the year on a shot from the high slot that seemed to change direction and catch Hedberg off-guard.
Then again, everything seemed to catch the Devils goalies off-guard on a clearly off-night by the Eastern Conference squad.
steve.macfarlane@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNMacfarlane
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