Blackhawks at Flames
The Calgary Flames entered their bye week last month with seemingly everything in their favor, having won seven straight and knowing they would not have to leave the province of Alberta for the next six games. The good vibes have quickly dissipated for the Flames, who will try to halt a six-game skid against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.
Calgary has held the lead in each of its last six losses (0-4-2) but unraveled in its latest setback, allowing five unanswered goals -- four in the third period -- to Tampa Bay in Thursday's 7-4 defeat. "We're going through a tough patch right now. There's no doubt about it," forward Matt Stajan said. "Adversity has hit. We have to stick together in these walls and get through this." The Flames will attempt to avoid a sixth straight defeat at home against the Blackhawks, who were denied their second three-game winning streak of the season in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Vancouver in the third stop of a four-game road trip. Chicago dropped a 4-3 overtime decision at Calgary on New Year's Eve, but it owns a 16-game point streak (10-0-6) against the Flames, last losing in regulation exactly six years ago (Feb. 3, 2012).
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Chicago, Sportsnet (Calgary)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (24-20-7): Coach Joel Quenneville juggled his lines at Friday's practice in an effort to jump-start struggling forward Artem Anisimov and Brandon Saad. Anisimov, who has one point in five games since returning from injury to extend his goal drought to 11 contests, was elevated to the No. 2 line between leading scorer Patrick Kane and Nick Schmaltz. Saad, who collected his first point in 10 games with an assist at Vancouver, was dropped to the third line alongside Tommy Wingels and ex-Flame Lance Bouma.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-18-8): Matthew Tkachuk, who scored twice on the man advantage against Chicago on Dec. 31, was part of a revamped power-play unit at Friday's practice that featured Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan on the wings along with defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano. Calgary is only 5-for-39 with the extra skater since converting on both opportunities against the Blackhawks. Hamilton is riding a three-game point streak and has three goals and six assists while posting a plus-8 in the last 10 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Schmaltz has eight goals and 17 points in 16 games since the All-Star break.
2. Flames G Mike Smith is expected to make his 500th career start on Saturday.
3. Blackhawks G Jeff Glass will make his ninth start of the season and second against his hometown team on Saturday.