Flames at Kings
The Los Angeles Kings look to end their disappointing homestand on a high note when they face off against the surging Calgary Flames on Monday. Los Angeles dropped five of the first six contests on its seven-game stretch at Staples Center, including a 3-2 shootout loss to Anaheim on Saturday. Anze Kopitar scored a power-play goal late in the second period to give the Kings a 2-1 lead before the Ducks converted a man-advantage opportunity in the third and netted the lone tally of the bonus format to provide a bittersweet end to a night in which the hosts retired Rob Blake's uniform number.
The Flames are coming off a 4-3 overtime victory at San Jose on Saturday in which they opened a two-goal lead and allowed the next three tallies before knotting the game in the second period and winning when Sean Monahan scored 24 seconds into the extra session. Calgary improved to 3-0-0 on its five-game road trip, which has followed a six-game homestand that saw the club win the first three contests before losing the final three. The Flames won the first two contests of the five-game season series, posting an overtime victory at Los Angeles on Dec. 22 before capturing a 2-1 decision at home seven days later.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, RSN (Calgary), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (24-18-3): Joni Ortio is expected to make his fourth consecutive start since being recalled from Adirondack of the American Hockey League. The 23-year-old Finn has stopped 82-of-86 shots and posted his first NHL shutout while winning the first three outings. "He's playing so well, he's giving us some big saves, he has that swagger about him right now," coach Bob Hartley told the team's website.
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-14-11): Los Angeles would like to avoid shootouts at all costs, considering how dismal it has performed in the bonus format this season. The club is tied with Detroit for the worst record in the league in the shootout at 1-7 and has gone 22 straight attempts without converting to fall to 2-for-28 overall. "We've been practicing it a bit, but we just have to get it done," said Marian Gaborik, who has scored once on four chances. "We have enough talent for the guys to score goals. We just need to get the one win and the confidence level will go up."
OVERTIME
1. Monahan has scored in back-to-back contests following a 13-game drought.
2. Los Angeles has yielded eight power-play goals in the last seven contests.
3. Calgary rookie LW Johnny Gaudreau, who registered a natural hat trick to force overtime in the Dec. 22 meeting with the Kings, has scored just once in his last eight games.