Kings at Flames
Calgary is as hot as its nickname - especially goaltender Brian Elliott - as the Flames host the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday for the first of three meetings with their Pacific Division rivals in 19 days. Elliott won his last 10 decisions, helping Calgary vault nine points clear of ninth-place Los Angeles in the Western Conference and into a three-way battle with Anaheim and Edmonton for the second and third place in the Pacific.
Elliott didn't play because of the flu when the Flames' 10-game winning streak was snapped by Boston 5-2 on Wednesday but returned to make 24 saves in Friday's 3-1 victory over Dallas. "You're not in a normal routine of eating and drinking and getting all the nutrients you usually get in, but I wanted to get back in there," Elliott, who is 14-1-1 with a 1.87 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in his past 16 starts, told reporters. "It felt good to get another win and move onto a big game on Sunday (against the Los Angeles Kings)." Los Angeles completed a 4-2-1 homestand with a 2-0 victory over Buffalo on Thursday and trails Nashville by six points for the second wild-card spot. The Kings and Flames each won at home in the first two meetings this season with Calgary prevailing 2-1 in overtime Feb. 28 to snap a five-game slide in the series in goaltender Ben Bishop's first game as a King after Los Angeles won 5-0 on Nov. 5.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West (Calgary)
ABOUT THE KINGS (34-29-7): Jonathan Quick, who missed 59 games after sustaining a groin injury in the season opener, recorded his first shutout of the campaign Thursday and is 5-1-1 with a .927 save percentage since returning. Jeff Carter boasts club highs of 31 goals and 60 points, but recorded only one assist in the last three games, while captain Anze Kopitar (43 points) registered three assists in the last two contests to increase his team-most total to 34. Jarome Iginla scored Thursday, giving him three goals in seven games since coming over in a pre-deadline trade from Colorado.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (40-27-4): Captain Mark Giordano had a goal (98th of his career) and two assists Friday for his second three-point game of the season. Matthew Tkachuk continued his strong rookie season with a goal and assist Friday, giving him 13 goals and 46 points - tied for third on the team and three behind leaders Mikael Backlund and Johnny Gaudreau. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton (46 points) recorded a goal and four assists in his last four games while Gaudreau, Backlund and Sean Monahan (46 points) combined for only a goal and assist in the last three contests.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles RW Dustin Brown recorded two assists Thursday, giving him 501 points in his career.
2. The Kings' power play is 9-for-27 in seven March games while Calgary killed 17-of-18 penalties during that span.
3. Calgary is second in the NHL in penalty minutes with 792 - 71 fewer than its opponents, the third-largest difference behind Montreal (103) and Colorado (87) entering Saturday's games.