Flames at Kings
Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving heaped significant praise on forward Matthew Tkachuk, saying in part that the 20-year-old assistant captain is wise beyond his years despite playing in just his third NHL season. Tkachuk will carry a four-game point streak (three goals, three assists) into Staples Center on Saturday as the Flames continue their three-game road trip versus the Los Angeles Kings.
"He's more mature, he's been around the game," Treliving said with a nod to Tkachuk's father, Keith, who enjoyed a 19-year NHL career. "It's his third year but in dog years, it's his seventh." The younger Tkachuk scored a goal in his second straight contest during Wednesday's 3-2 setback at Anaheim and had two goals and an assist in three encounters with the Kings last season. While the Flames saw their four-game winning streak halted in their historic house of horrors -- they have dropped 27 of their last 28 in Anaheim -- the Kings fell for the eighth time in their last 11 with Thursday's 3-1 setback versus Minnesota. "At this point in the year, we've got to get points to start climbing back into this thing. Go back to the drawing board," said Los Angeles' Alec Martinez, who set up fellow defenseman Jake Muzzin's goal for his third assist in two games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360 (Calgary), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (9-6-1): Tkachuk's torrid stretch has him tied with Johnny Gaudreau for the team lead in points (19) and two assists shy of captain Mark Giordano (14) for the top honors on the club. Sean Monahan and Gaudreau saw their respective six- and five-game point streaks halted by the Ducks, although Elias Lindholm notched an assist to give him at least one point in six straight contests (three goals, six assists). Monahan has recorded 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 21 career meetings with the Kings.
ABOUT THE KINGS (5-9-1): Jack Campbell allowed just two goals or fewer in four of his last six games, but has just a 3-3-0 mark to show for it. A sputtering offense has plagued Los Angeles throughout the season, as the team ranks dead last with just 2.20 goals per contest while ranking 23rd on the power play (15.7 percent). "We're concerned with where we're at, but I think if you look at the standings we're not that far off," forward Tyler Toffoli said. "Every game matters for us right now, so we've got to find a way to win games here and get a little streak going."
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles has scored the first goal in three straight games.
2. Flames G Mike Smith boasts a 17-9-2 mark with two shutouts in 29 career encounters versus the Kings.
3. Los Angeles D Drew Doughty, who had four assists in four games versus Calgary in 2017-18, has recorded seven of his 10 points at home this season.