Flames 2, Oilers 1 (OT)
EDMONTON, Alberta -- In a game where both teams had nowhere to go but up, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames didn't seem in much of a hurry to get there.
The Oilers and Flames waged a bland and boring chess match on Saturday night worthy of the last and second-to-last teams in the Western Conference.
In the end, the Flames scored late in the first period and then early in overtime to post a 2-1 victory and remain one spot ahead of Edmonton in the conference cellar.
Jiri Hudler broke the tie at 2:14 of overtime on an Oilers giveaway after Oilers left wingerTaylor Hall tied it with 10.1 seconds left in regulation.
The win moveed Calgary within 11 points of the final NHL wild-card playoff spot currently held by the Phoenix Coyotes. The Flames have taken six of eight and nine of the last 12 games at Rexall Place.
The Oilers are now 4-9-1 versus Western Conference opponents this season and 2-5-1 when they play on Saturday.
Edmonton had three power plays in the first period and outshot Calary 12-6 but went into the dressing room trailing 1-0 when right winger Lee Stempniak put one over goaltender Devan Dubnyk's shoulder after a turnover at the Calgary blue line.
It's just the 11th time in 29 games that the Flames have scored first in a game.
Neither team generated much of anything in a scoreless second period.
Edmonton had a couple of power plays in the third period to try and make things right but couldn't solve a Calgary penalty kill that has been on top of its game lately (one goal against in the previous seven games).
NOTES: G Jason LaBarbera felt under the weather Saturday and didn't take part in the morning skate, but he was able to dress as the backup. ... The Flames have only scored first in a game 11 times in 29 starts. ... Calgary is battling a flu bug in the dressing room that has a number of players feeling iffy. ... Oilers D Jeff Petry, a healthy scratch on Thursday for the first time in several years, returned to the ice on Saturday. He didn't last long, though. He banged his head on the glass and left the game with a concussion. ... Flames D Ladislav Smid played his first game in Edmonton since being shipped to Calgary in a trade between the provincial rivals. ... Calgary RW Lee Stempniak extended his consecutive-games point scoring streak to three.
