Flames at Coyotes
THE STORY: Fresh off a disappointing four-game homestand, the Calgary Flames try to cool down the league's hottest team when they visit the Pacific Division-leading Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. Calgary went 0-2-2 during its stretch at the Scotiabank Saddledome but has earned at least one point in each of its last eight road contests (4-0-4). The Flames have their work cut out for them if they hope to continue the streak as the Coyotes enter having earned 23 of a possible 24 points in February (11-0-1). Phoenix has won seven straight home games and six in a row overall.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (28-24-11): Goaltender Leland Irving was recalled from Abbotsford of the AHL on Wednesday. Selected 26th overall in the 2006 draft, Irving made his NHL debut earlier this season, going 1-1-3 with a 3.26 goals-against average in five games. Calgary has been outshot in each of its last 11 games. Despite their winless homestand, the Flames trail Dallas by just four points for eighth place in the Western Conference with 19 contests remaining. Captain Jarome Iginla is confident the team can find its way into the playoffs. "Nobody in our room has given up," he said. "We've got one-quarter of a season left and we've got to get the ball rolling in the right direction again."
ABOUT THE COYOTES (33-21-9): The club could not have enjoyed the success it had in February without Mike Smith, who is in the midst of a franchise-record 11-game winning streak. He has allowed a total of 16 goals during the run and has yielded more than one tally only twice over his last 10 contests. Ray Whitney has been a force offensively, recording at least one point in 14 of his last 15 matches. The veteran, who is riding a six-game points streak, has notched five goals and 17 assists over his last 18 contests.
OVERTIME:
1. Phoenix has had its way with Calgary of late, winning six straight meetings and eight of nine.
2. The Flames have lost each of their last five visits to Jobing.com Arena.
3. The Coyotes had not gone an entire month without a regulation loss since posting a 10-0-1 record in November 1998.