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Flames falter against rival Stars

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By The Quad-City Times staff | Tuesday, April 01, 2008 |

DES MOINES — In recent games the Quad-City Flames have played two solid periods before swooning in the third period.

On Friday the Flames got the swoon out of the way earlier. After a strong first period, the Flames gave up two quick goals in the second, en route to a 4-1 loss to the Iowa Stars on Friday.

The Flames (33-29-2-7) took a 1-0 lead 13:37 into the game with a power-play goal from Grant Stevenson. Krys Kolonos set him up with a key pass from the opposite side of the crease.

Seventh-place Quad-City is eight points away from the West Division’s final playoff spot and controlled much of the first period outshooting Iowa 16-6.

“I thought we started off a little tentative,” Stars coach Dave Allison said.

The Flames played Friday, and will play the rest of the season, without All-Star defenseman Adam Pardy. Pardy underwent surgery Tuesday for a broken bone in his foot suffered two weeks ago.

His loss was offset by the return of fellow defensive veteran Brett Palin.

The Stars came out and scored two goals in the first five minutes of the second period — from newcomer Ray Sawada 2:45 in and from Marius Holtet 4:35 in.

Holtet shot the puck between Flames goaltender Curtis McElhinney’s legs for the eventual game-winner. Flames coach Ryan McGill replaced McElhinney after the goal with Matt Keetley in net.

The Stars (32-33-4-2) held that one-goal lead until McGill pulled Keetley for an empty net with about 1 minute left in regulation.

Iowa’s Jancevski, with 21.4 seconds left, and Brett Westgarth, with .1 second left, scored empty net goals to extend Iowa’s lead.

Stars goaltender Tobias Stephan stopped 37 of 38 shots in the win.

Iowa still holds last place in the West Division with nine games to go in the regular season, but has not been eliminated from the playoff race.

Sawada was one of two college players making their pro debuts with Iowa Friday in front of an announced crowd of 4,205.