Ducks at Flames
Calgary hosts the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday and while both No. 1 goaltenders are playing like No. 2s, facing his former team for the first time could light a fire under the Flames' Jonas Hiller. The 32-year-old native of Switzerland played his first seven NHL seasons with Anaheim, but is 1-2-0 with an .872 save percentage and a 3.69 goals-against average in his last three starts and will likely get the call from Calgary coach Bob Hartley. The Ducks' Frederik Andersen, meanwhile, has been lifted in two of his last three starts, and is 0-1-3 with a .893 save percentage and 2.94 GAA in five November contests.
After beginning the season by winning 10 of its first 13 games, Anaheim is 1-1-4 - with Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss in Los Angeles the only road game during that stretch. The Flames, who haven't qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2009, can move into a tie with the Ducks atop the Pacific Division with a regulation victory. Calgary kicked off its five-game homestand with two straight victories, including a 4-2 decision over Ottawa on Saturday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Prime Ticket (Anaheim), SNET West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (11-4-4): Right wing Corey Perry (team-leading 11 goals) returned to the lineup in Sunday's 6-2 loss to Florida after missing five games with the mumps, but top defenseman Francois Beauchemin sat out for the fourth straight contest with the same ailment. Forward Kyle Palmieri made his season debut Sunday after recovering from an ankle injury while forward Andrew Cogliano scored his first goal in 14 games - a stretch in which Anaheim netted only 32. Ducks rookie defenseman Josh Manson, son of longtime blue-liner and tough guy Dave Manson, recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Cogliano's goal.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (11-6-2): Undrafted rookie Josh Jooris recorded a goal and assist against the Senators, and has four goals in his first 12 NHL games. "Josh is progressing so well with us,'' Hartley told reporters. "His speed, his anticipation. The way that he reads the play. He smells blood around the net. ...'' Fellow rookie center Markus Granlund, Calgary's second-round pick (45th overall) in 2011, also registered a goal and assist Saturday while captain Mark Giordano extended his point streak to nine games - tying his career high - with an assist, and has scored five goals and set up 14 others during that span.
OVERTIME
1. The Flames, who have won five straight against the Western Conference, have scored 24 goals in the third period - second behind Montreal's 26.
2. Anaheim is 11-3-1 versus Calgary since the start of the 2010-11 season.
3. Giordano leads NHL defensemen with 21 points, and his six goals and 15 assists are tied for the lead among blue-liners.