Flames at Golden Knights
The first-place Calgary Flames try for their fourth straight victory when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday with a hot goaltender and a potent offense that has scored 13 goals in its last two games. Calgary completed a 3-1-0 homestand with a 6-3 win over Winnipeg on Wednesday, with David Rittich stopping 37 shots for his sixth straight victory.
"We've got three (wins) in a row right now, and I think everyone in our locker room feels great," Rittich (8-1-0, 2.04 goals-against average, .930 save percentage) told reporters. "We have to keep it the same, still push them back and play in their zone, doesn't matter who we're playing against." The Flames led 5-1 after one period Wednesday, becoming the fourth team in NHL history to score five or more goals in the first session of consecutive games. Calgary crushed Vegas 7-2 on Monday behind two goals apiece from Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk for its second straight victory over the Golden Knights by a combined score of 14-3 since losing the first three encounters (15-5). Vegas bounced back from Monday's debacle with a 3-2 victory at Arizona on Wednesday behind Max Pacioretty's second goal of the game at 3:36 of overtime.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West - joined in progress (Calgary), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (13-8-1): Sam Bennett has recorded two goals and two assists in his last two games since being elevated to a line with Mikael Backlund and Tkachuk after totaling the same numbers in his first 20 contests of the season. Johnny Gaudreau has notched two goals and five assists in his last three games, giving him 26 points - one behind team leader Tkachuk - and a club-high 18 assists while Monahan (25 points), who has collected three goals and three assists in his last three games, is tied for the team lead in talies (12) with Tkachuk.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (10-12-1): Jonathan Marchessault (team bests of 19 points and a plus-4 rating) is the only Vegas player with a double-digit goal total (10). Pacioretty has scored in three straight games, netting four of his six tallies during that span, while Tomas Nosek (club-worst minus-13) recorded his second goal of the campaign on Wednesday. Marc-Andre Fleury (10-8-1, 2.58, .901) made 19 saves Wednesday for his third victory in four starts and is 10-4-1, with a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage in 16 games versus Calgary.
OVERTIME
1. Flames C Dillon Dube, a second-round pick in the 2016 draft, scored his first NHL goal Wednesday in his 16th game.
2. Vegas C Cody Eakin (eight goals, 12 points in 20 games this season) set up a tally on Wednesday, giving him five goals and three assists in his last nine contests.
3. Calgary RW Michael Frolik (seven goals in 20 games) missed Wednesday's game with a lower-body injury.