CALGARY - Flames goaltenders Reto Berra and Karri Ramo faced a daunting task at training camp last September. Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. It was a tall order and the Flames struggled at the start of the season. But there finally appear to be signs that the team may be ready to turn things around. Berra and Ramo have helped Calgary to a 5-4-2 record in its last 11 games, with three losses coming in close games against league heavyweights Pittsburgh and Boston. Berra entered the holiday break on a high after helping the Flames to a 4-3 shootout win Monday over the surging St. Louis Blues. He made 32 saves and stopped all three shots in the shootout to improve to 5-8-2 on the season. Berra is also a perfect 3-0 in shootouts, an area in which Kiprusoff historically struggled (23-37). "Overall Im happy with where I am," he said. "For my first year over here, Ive played solid, Ive played calm and Ive played my game. "I want to have more wins but sometimes you cant control that." Once described by former Flames general manager Jay Feaster as the “best goaltenders not playing in the NHL,” Berra and Ramo are still adjusting to the league since coming over from Europe. The ice surface is smaller and there is more traffic in front of the net. "One thing Ive been working on is trying to track the puck and follow it with my body," said Berra. "Also, guys here shoot perfect shots so you cant just go down and hope it hits you, you have to read the shot. Thats a big part of where Im way better than at the start of the season. "I can read the shots and where theyre coming." Ramo, who spent the last four seasons in the KHL, is more familiar with the North American game than his teammate. The 27-year-old native of Asikkala, Finland spent three seasons in the Tampa Bay organization after being selected by the Lightning in the sixth round of the 2004 entry draft. "Im trying to be quicker with my positioning so I can get set and see more pucks," said Ramo. "If you can play a little bit more outside the crease and still be quick, thats always better. Berra, a 26-year-old native of Bulach, Switzerland, said he has also noticed a big difference in the number of blocked shots. One of the trademarks of the Flames blue-collar style of play, Calgary has blocked 688 shots this season, second only to Montreal (725). Individually, defencemen Kris Russell (105), Chris Butler (100) and Ladislav Smid (83) all rank in the top 10. "I think the guys would jump face first into shots, they have so much commitment to the Flames," Berra said with a laugh. "They play like a goalie. Sometimes if theres not many shots, its hard to get into the game and Ill be thinking, Hey, let it through, I want to save something too." Flames coach Bob Hartley has been pleased with how his two goaltenders have improved. "Very happy with their progression," Hartley said. "Theyre two great guys. They want to learn, they want to contribute to the team success. They get along great together. Were trying to give them streaks where if they play well, we ride them." Berra started 11 of 12 games in one stretch, starting with a spectacular 42-save win in his NHL debut in Chicago. Lately its been Ramos turn, as he has started eight of the last 12 and is playing his finest hockey of the year. Hes gone 4-2-2 in that span with a 2.06 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. On the season, Ramo is 6-6-3 with a 2.79 GAA and a .904 save percentage. He attended Finlands Olympic orientation in July, but thinks there is little chance hell be in Sochi this February given the countrys depth at the goaltending position. Its unclear if Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne will be ready for the Games as hes still recovering from a hip infection. However, Finland is still loaded with other options, including Bostons Tuukka Rask, San Joses Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen of Dallas. "With Finland and the goalies, pretty easy decisions for the people who are selecting," said Ramo. "Theyve been well known for so long in Finland and played in the NHL for so long and have been so good." Its a different scenario for Berra. After a strong showing last May at the world championships, he fully expects to be in the mix on the Swiss team. "For sure," Berra said. "Plus Ive made my next step personally by now playing in the NHL." 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DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks cant seem to turn comfortable leads into easy wins, even with their playoff fate on the line against teams going nowhere. They avoided what would have been a damaging letdown against Sacramento on Saturday night. Nowitzki scored 19 points, including eight in the fourth quarter when the Mavericks wiped out a five-point deficit after leading by 17 in the first half and held on to beat the Kings 103-100. "Its unfortunate its been part of our DNA, and I just feel like were going to snap out of it," said coach Rick Carlisle, whose team has lost six games after leading by at least 16 points this season. "And I know we have to. So Im a very positive thinker on this." The Mavericks beat Sacramento at home for the 20th straight time in the regular season, the longest against any opponent in franchise history. Dallas (44-30) is in a virtual tie with Memphis (43-29) for eighth place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Phoenix. The Mavericks have eight games left and finish the regular season at the Grizzlies. Rudy Gay scored 30 for the Kings. Monta Ellis had 17 points and six assists and Sam Dalembert added 15 as Dallas avoided a second loss to a West also-ran on a franchise-record eight-game homestand that ends Tuesday night against Golden State, the fourth likely playoff-bound opponent in five games. "Weve got to push it," Dalembert said. "We have to go out every night and fight, try to get anything we can get and see if we can get that second chance." The Kings were up 89-84 after a jumper from Jason Thompson when Jose Calderon started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer and Nowitzki hit a pair of free throws for a tie. Shawn Marion made two more free throws to put Dallas back in front, then knocked down a 3-pointer from the right corner for a 94-89 lead. Marion finished with 14 points. Sacramento had a chance to tie in the final seconds after Ellis missed two free throws, but Travis Outlaws 3-pointer was short just before the buzzer. "We played a lot harder, a lot more physical, in the second half," Sacramento coach Michael Malone said. "But we dont want to be having to get down by 17 to doo it.dddddddddddd" Gay, who had 35 points in another close loss at the Mavericks in January, led Sacramentos push for its first regular-season win in Dallas since Feb. 27, 2003. The Kings won a playoff game in Dallas in 2004 when they eliminated the Mavericks in five games in the first round. Gay tipped in his own miss for the Kings first lead at 81-80 with 7:26 remaining in the game and muscled in a bucket after Ray McCallum missed a layup. Gay also had seven rebounds. With Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas missing his third straight game with a right thigh contusion, McCallum became the first NBA player this season to go the full 48 minutes. He has played six straight quarters over two nights after going the entire second half of a loss at Oklahoma City. McCallum, who had 16 points and eight assists, was briefly the only guard available when fellow rookie Ben McLemore left with what he said was a mild knee injury in the third quarter before returning in the fourth. "I felt fine the whole entire game," said McCallum, who has averaged 45 minutes per game in his three career starts with Thomas sidelined. "I knew with Isaiah being out, I would play more. I took a challenge to keep the team in the game and run the offence." McLemore had ice on both knees and his left shoulder after the game, but said he was fine. Nowitzki led the Mavericks with seven rebounds and tied Calderon for the team lead with seven assists. Reggie Evans had a season-high 18 rebounds for Sacramento, and DeMarcus Cousins finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists despite sitting most of the third quarter with four fouls. NOTES: Kings coach Michael Malone said Thomas might play Monday at New Orleans. ... Kings F Jason Thompson got a technical for complaining about a foul called against him on a three-point play by Marion. It contributed to a seven-point spurt in just 26 seconds that gave Dallas a 50-33 lead late in the first half. ... Ellis has been willing to take charges all season, never better illustrated that early in the third quarter when the 6-foot-11, 270-pound Cousins dribbled the length of the floor before plowing through the 6-3, 185-pound Ellis under the basket. ' ' '