(Best E Casino) - The second-seeded San Jose Sharks will try to even up the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals tonight, when they host the Calgary Flames for Game 2 at HP Pavilion.

The seventh-seeded Flames jumped out to a strong start in the series, as they posted a 3-2 decision in Game 1 to put the pressure on San Jose, champions of the Pacific Division.

Stephane Yelle scored twice and Miikka Kiprusoff turned in an inspired performance in goal as the Flames edged the Sharks.

Kiprusoff stopped 37 shots for the Flames, who won three of the four meetings between the teams during the regular season. Dion Phaneuf also tallied for Calgary, while captain Jarome Iginla added a pair of assists.

Ryane Clowe scored both goals for the second-seeded Sharks. Evgeni Nabokov, who won 46 games during the regular season, allowed three goals on 23 shots and took the loss.

Despite the loss, San Jose did put a scare into the Flames in the final minute of regulation.

With Nabokov pulled for an extra attacker, Brian Campbell dumped the puck behind the net for Joe Thornton, who hesitated, then fed the puck in front right to the stick of Clowe, who buried a shot past Kiprusoff with 57 seconds to play.

San Jose's offense continued to pressure Kiprusoff in the waning seconds, but the Calgary netminder held strong to keep the Sharks from tying the game.

For Flames head coach Mike Keenan it was his first playoff win since he was with St. Louis in 1996.

With the victory, Calgary improved to 3-0 at HP Pavilion this season and now has a 6-1 all-time record in playoff games at San Jose.

The series will shift to Calgary for Game 3, as the clubs meet Sunday night at the Saddledome.

Calgary and San Jose have split a pair of playoff series in their histories. The Sharks beat Calgary in seven games during the 1995 conference quarters, and the Flames posted a 4-2 series victory in the 2004 West finals.

The Sharks have averaged nearly 105 points over the last three regular seasons, but have yet to translate that into deep playoff runs. San Jose has lost in the conference semifinals in each of the past two seasons. However, the club hasn't been ousted in the opening round since dropping a quarterfinal series to St. Louis in 2001.

The Flames, meanwhile, are trying to get out of the first round for the first time since losing in the Stanley Cup finals to Tampa Bay in 2004. They dropped a seven-game series to Anaheim in 2006 and lost in six games to Detroit last year.

San Jose was 22-13-6 as the hosts this season, while the Flames went 21-19-1 as the visitors.