Calgary, AB (Sports Network) - Miikka Kiprusoff made 39 saves for his 26th career shutout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 1-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Saddledome.

Kiprusoff turned aside 18 shots in the first period, seven more in the second and 14 in the final stanza for the Flames, who have won two straight and six of their last eight games overall (6-1-1). Craig Conroy tallied his 10th goal of the season for Calgary, which is now tied with Minnesota atop the Northwest Division with 79 points.

Pascal Leclaire ended with 18 saves for the Blue Jackets, who concluded their three-game road trip with a 1-1-1 mark.

Following two scoreless periods, the Flames grabbed the lead at the 5:49 mark of the third. Eric Nystrom held control in the neutral zone and sent a lead pass for Conroy, who gained control at the blue line along the left side and streaked down the wing near the half-wall. From the lower portion of the circle, Conroy fired a backhanded wrister from a sharp angle that beat Leclaire.

"It was a lucky shot -- I wanted to shoot it higher," said Conroy. "I don't score many, but it feels good."

With over five minutes to go in regulation, the visitors came within inches of the tying goal. A shot from the left point by Jan Hejda was tipped away at the last second by the shoulder pad of Kiprusoff. Columbus sniper Rick Nash then missed on a breakaway chance moments later, and Ron Hainsey's backhander from in close with under two minutes to go was stopped.

"He made big saves, and he doesn't give up a lot of rebounds," said Columbus forward Michael Peca of Kiprusoff. "We dominated at times, but to come up short is frustrating. It's one of those games that you fear, because the (longer it remains scoreless), the more experienced teams like Calgary find a way to get a goal."

With 1:18 to go in the third, Calgary's Dion Phaneuf was whistled for holding and the Blue Jackets went to work with the extra skater. The best scoring chance the visitors had on the late power play was when Ole-Kristian Tollefsen's laser slap shot from the high slot missed the left top corner by inches.

The Flames will host Nashville on Friday in a key matchup.