Avalanche at Flames
THE STORY: It is unusual when an empty-netter winds up as the game-winner, especially when it resulted in a three-goal lead. The Calgary Flames, who host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, are coming their highest offensive output of the season, a 7-6 victory over Carolina on Tuesday after taking a 7-4 lead with 1:09 remaining. A win is a win, and Calgary is 4-1-1 in its last six games, but Flames defenseman Chris Butler summed it up best: “Obviously, seven goals is great but giving up six, I think it doesn’t matter who you played, it’s pretty unacceptable.’’ The Avalanche must be feeling about the same, except for the part about the seven goals. Colorado is coming off a 6-0 loss at Vancouver on Tuesday which snapped a three-game winning streak, and has lost six straight on the road after winning its first six away from home. The road slide began with a 4-2 loss at Calgary on Oct. 26, the Flames’ eighth straight victory over the Avalanche, including three this season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), SNET West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (13-14-1): Center Paul Stastny is questionable after missing Tuesday’s game with a torso injury suffered Sunday against Detroit. Semyon Varlamov’s three-game winning streak came to a screeching halt Tuesday when he allowed six goals on 21 shots and was pulled. Colorado concludes its three-game swing through Western Canada on Friday against Edmonton.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (12-13-2): Miikka Kiprusoff has won nine straight games against the Avalanche with a 1.67 goals against average. He is 25-14-1, 2.51, .910 in his career versus Colorado. Brendan Morrison, a healthy scratch for the last five games, filled in for Curtis Glencross (flu) on Tuesday and had two goals and two assists. Calgary is 2-1-1 in its last four despite allowing 18 goals.
OVERTIME:
1. Calgary called up goaltender Leland Irving from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League to replace Henrik Karlsson, who has a sprained MCL. He could make his NHL debut when the Flames play back-to-back games at Tampa Bay and Florida on Dec. 15-16.
2. The Flames snapped a 0-for-29 power-play skid at home Tuesday, but remain an NHL-worst 6.4 percent (3-for-47).
3. Colorado and Calgary are 12th and 13th, respectively in the West.