The Canadian Press
CALGARY–Jarome Iginla hasn’t decided yet if this will be his final NHL season.
But if it is, he had a stirring final game in the city that was his home for 16 seasons.
Iginla scored his 100th career game-winning goal, added an assist, and also had a fight as the L.A. Kings kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames.
“I don’t know how many more games I’ll play here, but this will be one that I will remember,” said Iginla, who turns 40 on July 1.
“I go back and forth,” he added. “I’ll see how the year finishes and talk to my family, and go from there.”
Tied 1-1, Iginla’s goal with 46 seconds left in the second period gave the visitors the lead for good.
In a mad scramble around the crease, Iginla couldn’t get his shot through.
But Mark Giordano, lying flat on his belly, accidentally swept the puck into his own net while trying to pull the puck under Brian Elliott, who also was sprawled.
“I’m sure he’s had a couple of those games before in this building,” said Kings’ centre Anze Kopitar, who added a goal and an assist.
“He comes to the rink every day, gives it his all,” Kopitar noted.
“I think for the majority, if not all, of us, we’re very privileged to be in his presence.”
It was Iginla’s fifth goal in 13 games since being acquired by L.A. at the trade deadline.
It also gives him 624 goals for his career–moving him to within one of Joe Sakic for 15th all-time.
Trevor Lewis and Jeff Carter also scored for L.A. (36-33-7).
The Kings trail the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card spot by 10 points with six games remaining.
Dougie Hamilton had the lone goal for Calgary (43-30-4).
Johnny Gaudreau had an assist to extend his point streak to six games.
The Flames remain in the first wild-card spot–one point up on the Predators, who have a game in hand.
Calgary just needs one victory to clinch a playoff spot.
The Flames next chance is tomorrow when the San Jose Sharks come to town
It was a chippy game all night.
A featured storyline was it being the first meeting between feisty Flames’ rookie Matthew Tkachuk and Drew Doughty since Feb. 28–the night Tkachuk was suspended two games for elbowing the Kings’ defenceman in the face.
It was clear early that the incident still was top of mind as even in the pre-game warm-up, a few players from both teams came together at centre where Tkachuk was stretching and exchanged words.
At 3:05, the anticipated fight came when Kings’ defenceman Brayden McNabb dropped the gloves with Tkachuk.
Elsewhere in the NHL, Chicago dumped Pittsburgh 5-1, Washington beat Colorado 5-3, and St. Louis downed Arizona 3-1.
