Flames at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings attempt to remain perfect on their homestand when they face off against the reeling Calgary Flames on Monday. Los Angeles completed its 1-3-1 road trip with three consecutive defeats (0-2-1) before beginning its four-game stretch at Staples Center with a 6-4 triumph over St. Louis in the back end of a home-and-home series. The Kings followed that comeback victory with another on Saturday as they scored three unanswered tallies en route to a 4-2 win over Arizona.
Calgary made a valiant effort to overcome an early two-goal deficit but ultimately dropped a 3-2 overtime decision at Vancouver on Saturday. David Jones and rookie Johnny Gaudreau scored to knot the contest before the Canucks won it 18 seconds into the extra session on defenseman Chris Tanev's goal. The setback was the eighth in a row (0-7-1) for the Flames, who had won four in a row and eight of 10 prior to the slide.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, RSN West (Calgary), KCOP-13 (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (17-15-3): Calgary has received strong offensive contributions from its blue line this season as captain Mark Giordano leads all NHL defensemen with 32 points while TJ Brodie is tied for sixth with 23. Dennis Wideman shares the league lead in goals by a blue-liner with 10 and Giordano is right behind with nine tallies. Karri Ramo is 3-0-0 with a 1.95 goals-against average versus the Kings in his career while Jonas Hiller has gone 5-3-3 with a 2.12 GAA in his last 11 meetings with Los Angeles.
ABOUT THE KINGS (17-11-6): Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik have turned it up several notches since returning home from the team's dismal road trip. Kopitar has recorded a goal and seven assists over his last two games while Gaborik has netted three tallies and set up two others. Gaborik began heating up prior to the homestand as he enters Monday's contest with a four-game point streak during which he has scored six of his 10 goals on the season.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary has scored a total of 13 goals during its nine-game skid.
2. The Kings' power play has been sizzling on the homestand, going 5-for-11 in the two contests after converting once on 13 opportunities during the team's three-game slide.
3. The Flames won three of the five meetings between the Pacific Division rivals last season, including both in Los Angeles.