Flames at Canucks
Sean Monahan wants to put the memory of the Calgary Flames' most recent loss in their rearview mirror as the team begins a four-game road trip on Saturday versus the Vancouver Canucks. The Pacific Division-leading Flames have answered an 8-0-1 stretch with losses in two of their last three contests, including Thursday's 5-2 setback to second-place San Jose.
"I still think we've got a better game to show. We didn't show it (Thursday)," Monahan said after his minus-3 performance versus the Sharks. "It's an important road trip now and we've got to flip the camera and look forward." The 24-year-old scored two goals and set up another in the first two encounters with the Canucks to begin the season before being held off the scoresheet in Vancouver's 3-2 overtime win on Dec. 29. The Canucks lost the final three contests (0-2-1) of their four-game road trip with a 4-3 overtime setback in Chicago on Thursday. "It's nice to get a point, but in overtime I had a breakaway. It is what it is. It (stinks), to be honest, but we have to get better," said rookie Elias Pettersson, who has six points (three goals, three assists) in six games since returning from a right knee injury.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet 1, CITY
ABOUT THE FLAMES (34-15-5): Coach Bill Peters and goaltender David Rittich cleared the air on Friday after the former pulled the latter following two goals on six shots versus the Sharks. "It's part of my job and part of hockey," Rittich told reporters. "You've never had a bad day at work? It's the same as me. I had a bad night last night so I just want to move on, be better next time and be more prepared for the game." Captain Mark Giordano scored one goal and set up two others in a 7-4 win versus Vancouver on Oct. 6 and has nine tallies since Nov. 27, tying him with Montreal's Shea Weber for the most goals in that stretch.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (24-24-7): While Pettersson leads Vancouver in both goals (25) and points (48), Brock Boeser has been heating up on the offensive end with eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past seven games. The 21-year-old scored and set up a goal in his last encounter with Calgary after being held off the scoresheet and totaling a minus-4 rating in the first two meetings. Jacob Markstrom, who has lost eight of his last 11 starts, has turned aside 94 of 103 shots to win two of the three matches with the Flames this season.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver D Alex Edler, who scored in overtime in the last contest with Calgary, has missed two straight games with a concussion.
2. Flames D Travis Hamonic exited in the third period against the Sharks after injuring his hand, but he was back at practice the following day and expects to play versus the Canucks.
3. Vancouver is mired in a 3-for-33 stretch on the power play in the last 12 games.