Z saves game; Ducks bad again

Zetterberg's late pair sets up Lidstrom's winner
Detroit looked dead and buried. Then the Red Wings remembered they were playing Calgary.

Henrik Zetterberg scored twice in the final nine minutes, including the game-tying goal with 3.2 seconds remaining, and Nicklas Lidstrom scored early in overtime to give Detroit a 5-4 comeback victory over the Flames. Lidstrom finished with three points, as did Pavel Datsyuk, who scored his seventh of the season.

Jarome Iginla's resurgence continued with a pair of goals and one assist. Jimmy Howard's struggles also remain ongoing; yes, he got the win with 23 saves but he's also given up 11 goals in his last three starts.

Well, so much for that
Remember when Anaheim was good again, with a six-game winning streak? Yeah, about that.

Despite out-shooting visiting Edmonton 40-25, Anaheim dropped its fifth consecutive game, 4-2 to the Oilers, who got 38 saves from Devan Dubnyk. I mention this every now and then, but Dubnyk was not named one of the game's Three Stars. Go figure. I'm sure those 19 first-period saves were all easy and didn't help keep his team in the game when it was out-shot 19-4.

Anyway, Ales Hemsky scored with 6:31 remaining to snap a 2-2 tie and Tom Gilbert's empty net goal sealed the win. Edmonton had taken a 2-0 lead on goals 1:41 apart by Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall. Anaheim responded with two goals 22 seconds apart from Bobby Ryan and Saku Koivu late in the second period.

Big. Bad. Buff.
Dustin Byfuglien, who earlier assisted on Nik Antropov's power play goal, gave Atlanta a 2-1 overtime victory over the Islanders when he lasered a shot past Rick DiPietro 1:30 into the extra frame. Andrew Ladd had two assists and Ondrej Pavelec made 28 saves.

New York has now lost 13 - that's THIRTEEN - straight games. Dear God. The Islanders haven't scored more than two goals in a game all month and have just 10 goals in nine November games. You have to go back to Oct. 27, the second game of this losing streak, to find the last time New York scored three times.

An old friend wasn't very kind
Former Canuck Taylor Pyatt rubbed some more salt into Vancouver's growing wound.

Pyatt scored twice, including the 2-2 tiebreaking goal six minutes into the third period, and Phoenix knocked off Vancouver, 3-2, to give the Canucks their fourth straight loss. Pyatt entered the game with only one goal on the season.

Scottie Upshall also scored for Phoenix and Ilya Bryzgalov fended off 25 shots. Tanner Glass and Christian Ehrhoff scored for the Canucks, who dropped their second straight home game in regulation. Vancouver did not receive a power play in the game.

Thoughts
--I can't even imagine what it's like to be an Islanders fan right now. John Tavares isn't even close to pulling off a Steven Stamkos-like sophomore surge, their best goalie is a 41-year-old, their highest paid player is a guy who hasn't been in the NHL for three years... and this team started 4-1-2! They were moderately good! As bad as the Oilers are, as dreadfully impotent as New Jersey has been...I think the Islanders are the worst team in the league. Sad times.

--That Byfuglien trade is having some modicum of success for Atlanta.

--The funny thing? In my NHL 11 Be a Pro season, the Islanders have Byfuglien.

--If we want to talk about goalies who are playing well, let's look at Pavelec. In his last five starts, he's allowed only seven goals. He's pushing Chris Mason to the side and becoming the goalie the Thrashers have wanted and needed.

--Detroit's good.

--Calgary's not.