Wild at Flames
The Calgary Flames hope a winning goal last Thursday and a trip to All-Star weekend will be the springboard Johnny Gaudreau needs to provide the team a big boost in the final 30 contests of the season. Gaudreau, who snapped an 11-game goal-scoring drought last time out, will try to keep it going when the Flames host the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
Gaudreau’s overtime winner in a 3-2 triumph at Ottawa gave him 11 goals on the season, and he produced four points during the All-Star 3-on-3 tournament on Sunday. “We had a talk (last Tuesday) about, ‘Hey, it’s not what you’ve done to this point, it’s where we’re going to go in the meat of the season - these next 25-30 games,’” Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters after his team snapped a four-game losing streak in Ottawa. “So this is a building block for him.” Minnesota is coming off a 5-2 victory at Edmonton on Tuesday as Mikael Granlund notched an assist to extend his point streak to a franchise record-tying 10 games. All-Star Devan Dubnyk (27-8-3, 1.88 goals-against average, .936 save percentage) watched backup Darcy Kuemper make 41 saves against the Oilers but is expected to be in net on Wednesday.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet360 (Calgary)
ABOUT THE WILD (33-11-5): Granlund has collected two goals and 10 assists during his streak to take over the team lead with 43 points – two better than Eric Staal, who has notched just two in his last eight contests. Jason Zucker, who is tied with All-Star teammate Ryan Suter for the league lead with a plus-30 rating, recorded a goal and an assist Tuesday to push his career-best point total to 35. Jason Pominville set up a tally against Edmonton, giving him two goals and six assists during his six-game point streak.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-24-3): Gaudreau and 22-year-old center Sean Monahan will be depended on to turn around their seasons if Calgary is to secure a playoff spot in the West. The 23-year-old Gaudreau and Monahan, a former sixth-overall draft pick, are tied for third on the team with 31 points apiece and own minus-17 and minus-15 ratings, respectively. Mikael Backlund registered just one point in the last four games before the All-Star break but leads the team with 34 overall – two better than defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
OVERTIME
1. The Flames have won the last three meetings, including a pair of one-goal triumphs earlier this season.
2. Calgary G Brian Elliott made 25 saves in the victory at Ottawa on Thursday and is expected to get the start against Minnesota.
3. Minnesota C Tyler Graovac has scored three goals in his last two games, doubling his total for the season.