Early on, it appeared the Lightning would not buck the trend of what has become a topsy-turvy postseason, in which it has alternated wins in 11 straight.
Martin Gelinas' goal at 2:13 swung the momentum Calgary's way.
But Martin St. Louis struck with a backhander with 33.5 seconds left.
THE POSITIVE: With seven goals in his past 10 playoff games, Ruslan Fedotenko, who missed Game 4 with a facial injury, was a welcome sight to Lightning fans when he joined St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier on the starting line. Pavel Kubina also returned from an injury after missing one game.
THE NEGATIVE: Needing to play a disciplined game, the Lightning allowed Gelinas' goal on Calgary's first power play, a result of Modin's bad penalty.
KEY PLAYS: Both goals went five-hole. Gelinas redirected Toni Lydman's pass from the left point between Nikolai Khabibulin's legs. St. Louis, sent in by a long Chris Dingman pass, was driven away from the net by Rhett Warrener. But St. Louis retrieved the puck behind the net and beat Miikka Kiprusoff.
KEY PLAYERS: Both goalies stood out. Khabibulin robbed Jarome Iginla with a right skate save then got his right arm on Chris Simon's backhander on a two-on-one with Iginla. Kiprusoff stoned Lecavalier and Modin on wrist shots from the slot.
Tampa Bay was fortunate to get out of the first period with a tie.
But it was not as lucky in the second period, when even the Bulin Wall cracked.
Nikolai Khabibulin was called on time and again to bail out the Lightning, but Calgary got one through on Jarome Iginla's shot from a tough angle to take a 2-1 lead.
THE POSITIVE: As bad as the Lightning was outplayed during the period, to be down by just one goal is what truly was remarkable.
THE NEGATIVE: Tampa Bay relied way too much on its goaltender while its offense was a no-show. The Lightning did not even get off a shot until the seventh minute and was outshot 14-3.
KEY PLAY: Iginla's goal, which came off a giveaway, gave Calgary the lead again. Martin St. Louis' pass in the Flames end slid past everyone. Iginla beat Darryl Sydor to the loose puck, skated down the right side and caught Khabibulin leaning the wrong way. His wrist shot to the far side banked in off the post.
KEY PLAYER: Iginla, who scored his league-leading 13th goal, is a Conn Smythe candidate as the postseason's most valuable player. He showed how dangerous of a shooter he has been throughout the playoffs, regardless of where he is on the ice.
Forget momentum changing by the game, it has been changing with each period during this series. Determined not to be outgunned for the final 20 minutes, the Lightning took the first five shots and tied the score just 37 seconds in.
Later, the line of Jarome Iginla, Martin Gelinas and Marcus Nilson pressured the Lightning, cycling in and around Nikolai Khabibulin during a five-on-five that looked like the Flames were on a power play.
THE POSITIVE: Special teams got Tampa Bay back in the game, and it didn't take long. Fredrik Modin's power-play goal tied it six seconds after Rhett Warrener went to the penalty box for holding the stick.
THE NEGATIVE: Flames goalie Miika Kiprusoff reached behind to cover a loose puck on Martin St. Louis' wraparound during the waning minutes. It was one of several chances the Lightning had to take the lead.
KEY PLAY: Modin's goal came off Brad Richards' centering pass from the right side of the Calgary net. It got the offense back on track.
KEY PLAYER: 9,um0,,10.8 Richards has a league-record seven winning goals during this year's playoffs, and he almost had another late. But Kiprusoff came out of his crease to challenge the shot from the left side and got the puck with his left shoulder.
FLAMES: Warrener (holding the stick), 2 minutes, :31.
LIGHTNING: None.
Shots on goal
FLAMES: 4 (Conroy, 1; Ference, 1; Montador, 2).
LIGHTNING: 8 (Cullimore, 1; Dingman, 1; Modin, 1; Richards, 2; St. Louis, 1; Sydor, 1; Taylor 1).
Rebound gets past Habby
Calgary got the winner from an unexpected source. Oleg Saprykin, who had not scored in the past 17 games, batted a rebound past Nikolai Khabibulin for his third playoff goal at 14:40.
THE POSITIVE: The Lightning had plenty of chances and outshot the Flames 8-7.
THE NEGATIVE: Vinny Lecavalier, who has not scored in his past six games, nearly won it. He beat Miikka Kiprusoff to a loose puck in the slot in the third minute, but he tipped it just wide of the right post.
KEY PLAY: Saprykin's goal capped a relentless attack by the Flames. With Calgary swarming the net, Jarome Iginla's shot from the high slot was stopped by Khabibulin. But Saprykin banged home the rebound.
KEY PLAYER: Iginla has nine goals after a playoff loss. He lost his helmet during Calgary's final push but kept skating and set up the winner.
