Coyotes at Flames
The Calgary Flames look to maintain their hold on a postseason berth when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. Calgary enters the contest even in points with Los Angeles but with possession of third place in the Pacific Division by virtue of the tiebreaker.
The Flames, who are four points behind second-place Vancouver with a game in hand, blanked Edmonton 4-0 on Saturday for their third win in four contests. Arizona is coming off a 5-3 triumph over San Jose on Saturday, which earned it a split of the home-and-home series. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored two goals and set up another as the Coyotes halted their eight-game slide at home. Calgary is aiming to complete a sweep of the five-game season series as it held Arizona to fewer than three goals in three of the four previous matchups.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, RSN West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (24-47-8): Ekman-Larsson raised his season total to 23 goals, which leads both the team and all NHL defensemen. His next tally will break the franchise single-season record for a blue-liner he currently shares with Phil Housley (1990-91, 1991-92). The Coyotes are hoping to put some distance between themselves and Buffalo, which is last in the league with 54 points - two fewer than Arizona.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (43-29-7): Calgary is in a position where it controls its own fate regarding the playoffs. After taking on the Coyotes, the Flames host Los Angeles on Thursday before visiting Winnipeg for the regular-season finale two days later. Jonas Hiller is likely to get the start against Arizona as Karri Ramo exited Saturday's victory less than a minute in with a lower-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. The Flames enter Tuesday's contest with a four-game point streak at home (2-0-2).
2. Arizona's victory on Saturday was its first in regulation since Feb 3 against Columbus.
3. Calgary D Dennis Wideman has established a personal record with 52 points, eclipsing the previous mark of 50 set in 2008-09 while with Boston.