The Stanley Cup playoffs are only a day old but Flames forward Stephane Yelle has already surpassed his combined point total in his previous two post-season campaigns.
Yelle tallied two goals to lift Calgary to a 3-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks Wednesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference quarter-final.
Yelle failed to register a single point in six playoff games last season. During the 2005-06 post-season, the Ottawa native scored only one goal in seven games.
Wednesday's effort marked Yelle's first multi-goal game in 148 career post-season appearances.
Not to be overshadowed by Yelle was Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, who was outstanding in making 37 saves to deny the Sharks, the NHL's second-best regular season team.
Defenceman Dion Phaneuf also scored a power-play goal for the Flames, while Calgary captain Jarome Inginla collected a pair of assists.
Winger Ryane Clowe scored both goals for San Jose in a losing effort. Joe Thornton was shut out until he collected an assist on Clowe's second goal late in the contest.
"I thought as a team we were really going from the start, right from the first period," Iginla told Hockey Night in Canada after the game. "That tip by Yelle [on the first goal] got us going."
The Flames captain was also quick to credit his goalie.
"Kipper played amazing," Iginla said.
The Sharks looked tentative right from the opening face off and they were punished when the Flames, who were outshot 39-23 on the night, notched two early goals.
Yelle found the back of the net a mere 2:47 into the game when he tipped a shot past Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov.
Phaneuf made it 2-0 for Calgary at 5:17, but Clowe tallied 49 seconds later when he banged a pass from captain Patrick Marleau past Kiprusoff to cut into the Flames lead.
Yelle restored Calgary's two-goal advantage with his second marker of the contest at 16:21 of the middle frame. Inginla collected a pass along the boards, fought off a Sharks defenceman and forced a save out of Nabokov, but Yelle was there to pot the rebound.
Iginla knocked the net off the moorings on the play, but the goal was upheld after a video review.
Clowe netted his second goal with 57 seconds left in regulation, and San Jose made things interesting in the final moments as they swarmed the Calgary net. But Kiprusoff stood tall and the Flames withstood the pressure to hold on for the win.
Calgary has now won six of seven post-season games in San Jose, dating back to the 1995 playoffs.
Wednesday's victory was the first playoff win for Calgary coach Mike Keenan since 1996
Game 2 of the series goes Thursday (CBC and CBCSports.ca, 10 p.m. ET).
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Contact Us About Us HomeTuesday, November 18th, 2008