Flames at Ducks
THE STORY: The playoff push began a while ago for teams such as the Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, who are among six clubs fighting for the final spot in the Western Conference. Both are currently out of postseason position, so Friday’s meeting in Anaheim will go a long way toward determining each team’s fate. The Flames have lost an eye-popping 14 straight games at Anaheim and are 1-13-10 in their last 24 there.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, SNET-W (Flames), KDOC-Los Angeles (Ducks)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (29-24-11): Calgary snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory at Phoenix on Thursday and moved to within two points of eighth-place Dallas. Curtis Glencross, who has scored in two straight contests, is four games into his return after missing five weeks with a knee injury. He leads the team with 20 goals. Captain Jarome Iginla hasn’t scored a goal in six games. The Flames were outshot in 11 straight matches prior to Thursday, when they matched the Coyotes with 31. Calgary begins a three-game homestand Sunday against Dallas.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (27-27-10): A prolonged playoff push may be starting to take its toll on Anaheim, which has lost two straight for the first time in eight weeks. Frustrations reached a boiling point in Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Buffalo when top players Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan were involved in separate altercations in the final minute. Anaheim, which was 20 points out of eighth place on Jan. 6, is seven points behind with 18 games remaining. Goaltender Jonas Hiller may also be feeling the effects of extended play – he has started 23 straight games and is 14-5-4 during that span.
OVERTIME:
1. After scoring six goals in four games, Perry has one in his last six - and none in his last three. Perry, who has 30 goals this season, scored 50 goals en route to winning the Hart Trophy in 2010-11.
2. Calgary went 83 games without a shorthanded goal before recording one Saturday against Philadelphia and one Thursday.
3. Calgary’s last seven losses at Anaheim have been by one goal.