Flames at Maple Leafs
The Calgary Flames became the last team to lose in January after they were shut out for the sixth time this season to begin a three-game road trip. The Flames aim to locate their missing offense and return to their winning ways on Thursday when they bid for a season sweep of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I think we've got to put (Monday's game) behind us. It wasn't our best effort," Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau said on the heels of a 2-0 setback to Montreal. "We're pushing to be at the top of our division right now. This is a big game for us. We had a good practice today and we'll come prepared tomorrow." The 26-year-old Gaudreau has recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last seven games and notched his first two-goal performance of the season in the Flames' 4-2 victory against Toronto on Dec. 12. The Maple Leafs answered a three-game skid by jumping out to a five-goal lead on Tuesday before Auston Matthews capped his second career hat trick with an empty-net tally to seal a 7-4 victory over New Jersey. "I think we wanted to have a good bounce back game," the 22-year-old said on the heels of Toronto's 8-4 setback to Florida on Sunday. "... Some stuff that I think we'd like to clean up and do better but, all in all, nice to get back in the win column and push forward these last two games."
TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: Sportsnet West, TSN4
ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-18-5): David Rittich replaced Arizona's Darcy Kuemper on the Pacific Division roster Wednesday and will make his first appearance in the upcoming NHL All-Star Game. "This means a lot for me," said 27-year-old Rittich, who owns an 18-11-5 record with two shutouts this season. "Right now, I can kind of say I'm with the best players in the world in the All-Star Game. It's going to be huge for me and it for sure can help me, for my next steps in my career." Rittich joins St. Louis native Matthew Tkachuk and captain Mark Giordano in representing the Flames in the event in the Gateway City next weekend.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (25-16-6): While the offense was obviously a boon for Toronto, all eyes were on its back end as 19-year-old defenseman Rasmus Sandin collected two assists in his first game since being recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Jake Muzzin, who joins fellow blue-liner Morgan Rielly in being shelved by a broken foot, returned to the ice Wednesday and spent 30 minutes with skating consultant Barb Underhill as he works his way toward a potential return on the other side of the NHL's All-Star break. "That's what they've talked about as being a potential target for us," coach Sheldon Keefe said after the Maple Leafs' practice on Wednesday. "Obviously, how things go between now and then will dictate that. My understanding is that he's going to stick around (in Toronto) and get working over the break. So we'll just have to see where he's at then."
OVERTIME
1. Toronto C Mitch Marner is riding an eight-game point streak (three goals, eight assists) into Thursday's tilt versus Calgary, against which he scored and set up a goal in the first encounter.
2. Flames C Elias Lindolm has scored four of his club-best 20 goals over his last five contests.
3. Toronto captain John Tavares has collected two goals and two assists in his last two games heading into the rematch with Calgary, against which he had one of each in the previous meeting.