Panthers at Flames
The Calgary Flames completed an important six-game road trip with four wins and look to begin improving their play on home ice when the surging Florida Panthers pay a visit Saturday night. The Flames have won only one of their past six at the Scotiabank Saddledome (1-2-3) and own the least victories on home ice among all teams in playoff position at 13-13-3.
Calgary holds down third place in the Pacific Division and sit two points out of second after a satisfying 4-3 victory at Nashville on Thursday as defenseman Dougie Hamilton and power forward Matthew Tkachuk each notched a goal and an assist. “That’s a big win for us,” Tkachuk told reporters. “I can’t speak enough about the whole team and the effort we put in (Thursday) to get the win, especially late to hold off their push.” Florida has won the first two contests on their five-game trip - scoring 11 goals combined - and six of seven after knocking off Vancouver 4-3 on Wednesday with heavy hearts after the school shooting not far from their home in Parkland, Fla. “I think it goes to show the character in the room,” Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie told reporters. “We talked about getting two points and kind of dedicating this win to everybody back home.”
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Florida, Sportsnet West, CITY (Calgary)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (25-23-6): Roberto Luongo (6-6-1, .928 save percentage) is expected to get his first start Saturday since Dec. 4 after missing more than two months with a groin injury. Center Nick Bjugstad snapped a 19-game goal drought by scoring once and setting up another in Wednesday’s victory and has posted six points in his six games in February. “It was probably one of his best games of the year,” Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters of Bjugstad on Wednesday. “He’s just got a lot of power with the puck right now, and he’s using that big body of his.”
ABOUT THE FLAMES (30-20-8): David Rittich, who has stepped in for injured All-Star Mike Smith in net, stopped 16 of 17 shots in the third period Thursday to allow Calgary to earn a big victory. “It’s different, being Robin than Batman,” Flames coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters of Rittich. “Those are different guys. Right now, he’s in a Batman role. This is a good growth time for him.” Johnny Gaudreau entered Friday second in the league with 68 points after recording four goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak while Tkachuk boasts four goals in the past four contests.
OVERTIME
1. Florida F Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team in scoring with 53 points, but has only two assists in four games.
2. Calgary D Dougie Hamilton, who owns nine points in his last 10 contests, is slated to play his 400th NHL game Saturday.
3. Panthers All-Star C Aleksander Barkov has registered three goals and four assists in his last six games to reach 50 points for the third straight season.