Holmstrom scores 20th goal with 1:19 left to lift the Red Wings to a 2-1 win over the Flames

Holmstrom’s late goal lifts Red Wings past Flames

CALGARY, Alberta — Tomas Holmstrom scored his 20th goal of the season with 1:19 left in the third period to give the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.

The Red Wings (34-23-12) extended their lead to three points ahead of the Flames (34-26-9) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 13 games remaining for each team.

Holmstrom was stationed at the top of the crease directly in front of Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff when Johan Franzen ripped a slap shot from the blue line and Holmstrom deflected the puck out of air and behind Kiprusoff.

Pavel Datsyuk also scored for Detroit, which won its third straight.

Craig Conroy had the lone goal for Calgary, loser of two in a row following a four-game winning streak.

The Flames had a great chance to take a 2-1 lead when Brian Rafalski’s high-stick on Conroy early in the third period put Calgary on a four-minute power play.

However, the Flames managed just two shots on goal during the lengthy man-advantage, and the Pengrowth Saddledome crowd of 19,289 started booing the Flames as they failed repeatedly to get set up in the Detroit zone.

Detroit’s penalty-killing continued to be excel, stretching its streak to six games without allowing a power-play goal — killing off 19 penalties during the span.

With Calgary up 1-0, Curtis Glencross had a great chance to put the Flames up by two when was awarded a penalty shot after being hooked from behind while on a short-handed breakaway.

Glencross couldn’t beat Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, and the Wings capitalized with a power-play goal 40 seconds later. With Holmstrom stationed at the top of the goal crease obstructing Kiprusoff’s view, Datsyuk scored his 22nd goal to tie the score at 1-1.

Detroit finished the night 1 for 1 with the extra man while Calgary went 0 for 3.

The Flames are 2 for 23 with the extra man over their last eight games.

Calgary opened the scoring 1:47 into the first period taking advantage of Andreas Lilja’s inability to clear the puck out of the Red Wings’ end. Conroy was right alone at the side of the net to tuck in puck after Nigel Dawes’ shot trickled wide.

NOTES: Glencross had Calgary’s first penalty shot of the season. … Calgary LW Chris Higgins (lower body injury) did not play, opening up a lineup spot for Dawes — who dressed for the first time in seven games. … Detroit LW Todd Bertuzzi has gone 17 games without a goal. … Detroit, not playing again until Friday night in Edmonton, will spend its days off in Kelowna, British Columbia. Two practices are planned for the scenic Okanagan Valley town as well as various team-building activities. … Detroit has scored a power-play goal in 10 consecutive games… The Red Wings have killed off 46 of their last 49 short-handed opportunities over the past 16 games.