Ducks at Flames
The Calgary Flames have surged back into the race for a playoff spot with the help of a franchise-record 11-game home winning streak and Johnny Gaudreau continues to play a leading role. Gaudreau, who scored five goals in his last two games and 12 this month, looks to stay hot as the Flames host the improving Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
Gaudreau was named the NHL’s No. 1 Star of the Week on Monday after recording a hat trick against Winnipeg on Dec. 22 and adding two more tallies Sunday, pushing his point total at home this season to 29 in 17 games. The Ducks must control the speedy Gaudreau without their most mobile defenseman Cam Fowler, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with a knee injury. The Ducks stand last in the Pacific Division, but have points in three of the last four games (2-1-1) after All-Stars Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf combined for three goals in a 4-2 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday. “That’s our role on this team,” Perry told reporters. “We have to be at the top of our game each and every night.”
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket and FSN San Diego (Anaheim), Sportsnet West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (13-15-6): Perry has scored three times in the last two games and leads the team with 13 goals and 23 points while Getzlaf’s tally Sunday was only his second of the campaign and first into an occupied net. The loss of Fowler (12 points) hurts a blue line corps that is also without another top-six performer in Simon Despres (concussion), who is out indefinitely. Defenseman Shea Theodore, the 26th overall pick in the 2013 draft, was recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League Monday and could make his NHL debut.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (17-16-2): While Gaudreau (17 goals, 39 points) leads the way, Calgary is getting plenty of production from throughout the lineup as center Sean Monahan tops the rest with 12 goals and 14 assists. The Flames’ defense is contributing more after a slow start as T.J. Brodie and captain Mark Giordano - three goals, four assists over the last four games - both boast 19 points. Calgary killed off all 10 power-play opportunities over the last six games and converted 4-of-11 chances with the man advantage in the past three.
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim G John Gibson (1.98 goals-against average) stopped 19-of-20 shots in relief against the Flames for a 5-3 triumph on Nov. 24 in his first game of the season.
2. Calgary has not lost at the Scotiabank Saddledome since a 6-2 rout by Montreal on Oct. 30.
3. Ducks D Sami Vatanen has 14 assists – second on the team behind Getzlaf (20) – after recording one in the season’s first 14 games.