Game Preview: Flames vs Anaheim Ducks

CALGARY FLAMES (24-22-6 54 points) vs. ANAHEIM DUCKS (19-24-8 46 points) GAME #53

PREVIEW:

Each and every game continues to get more and more important for the Flames as they head into Anaheim to face the Ducks tonight. This is the second of four meetings between the clubs, with the Flames winning the first game 1-0 in overtime. It’s easy to say tonight is a must win for the club but tonight is a MUST WIN. The Ducks have been playing much better hockey of late but any team that is lower in the standings, the Flames have to beat in order to give them any sort of chance erasing the 4 point gap between them and 8^th place. Saying that tonight’s task won’t be easy as the Flames haven’t won in Anaheim in nearly 8 years. They have lost 13 straight games at the Honda Center with their last victory coming on January 19, 2004.

The Flames are coming off an impressive victory against the slumping Blackhawks on Friday night. Miikka Kiprusoff became the franchise leader in games played for a goalie (527) as he once again back stopped the Flames to a 3-1 victory. The Flames big guns were their best players as the line of Jarome Iginla, Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay were easily the Flames best line, contributing for a combined 5 points.

That line will have to continue that success tonight as the Flames desperately need a line to step up to help their struggling offense. However that doesn’t mean secondary scoring isn’t needed. Mike Cammalleri really has to take his game to the next level, as all Flames fans have seen and Canadiens fan saw during their playoff run a couple seasons ago where he scored 13 goals. Since coming to Calgary, Cammalleri has registered a measly 2 goals and no assists in 6 games. His line mates, Blair Jones and Krys Kolanos aren’t elite let alone second liners but from what I have watched, Cammalleri is capable of bringing a lot more to the table.

The Ducks were one of the NHL’s best teams in January going 9-2-1 in 12 games but got off on the wrong foot on their current 4 game home stand. They have lost two straight including an overtime loss to the dreadful Columbus Blue Jackets, which has dropped them 12 points back of the final playoff spot. The Ducks pretty much need a miracle to make the playoffs but if they’re able to shake off their current 2-game skid and have another month like January, they could get right back in the race. The Ducks top trio of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan has been a disappointment this season and will be a huge reason if the Ducks don’t make the postseason.

The Flames have to come into tonight’s game with their past in Anaheim in the far, far backs of their heads. It would be nice to say it shouldn’t be in their heads at all but it has been so long since their last victory in Anaheim, it’s tough not to think about. Tonight’s slogan should be ‘Do it for Kiprusoff’ as he has been the back bone of the team all season and is one victory shy of 300 which will make him the 27^th goalie in history to reach the milestone. I thought the Flames played well, but not their best against the Hawks on Friday. I think the team has to start taking more chances offensively as they have proved they are strong defensively and can obviously rely heavily on Kiprusoff. I really liked Bouwmeester’s goal on Friday, just how they have moved him in front of the net on the PP in order to create more chances. The Flames are no doubt in tough but if continue to play a team game and take more chances offensively, the 4 points and a playoff spot shouldn’t be hard to overcome.

PROJECTED LINES:

Flames:                                                                        Ducks:

1-TANGUAY-JOKINEN-IGINLA                         `           1-RYAN-GETZLAF-PERRY

2-CAMMALLERI-JONES-KOLANOS                            2-BELESKEY-KOIVU-SELANNE

3-BOUMA-BACKLUND-COMEAU                                 3-BONINO-COGLIANO-BLAKE

4-KOSTOPOULOS-STAJAN-JACKMAN                        4-HAGMAN-PELLEY-PARROS

1-BOUWMEESTER-BUTLER                                        1-BEAUCHEMIN-FOWLER

2-GIORDANO-HANNAN                                                2-SBISA-VISNOVSKY

3-BRODIE-SARICH                                                       3-LYDMAN-BROOKBANK

1-KIPRUSOFF                                                               1-HILLER

2-IRVING                                                                        2-TARKKI

EXTRA- BABCHUK                                                        EXTRA- GUENIN

INJURIES:

Flames: RW- Lee Stempniak (Ankle) LW- Curtis Glencross (Knee- IR), C- David Moss (Lower Body-IR), D- Derek Smith (Ankle-IR)

Ducks: RW- Devante Smith-Pelly (Foot- IR), G- Dan Ellis (Groin- IR)

STATS:

Flames

Ducks

PP-

Flames: 17.9% (13^th)

Ducks: 17.8% (14^th)

PK-

Flames: 83.5% (10^th)

Ducks: 83.8% (9^th)

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

DID YOU KNOW?

• Last ten games: Flames 6-3-1, Ducks 6-2-2
• Miikka Kiprusoff has started a league high 45 games this season
• Kiprusoff has a 1.50 GAA and .946 save percentage in his ten starts
• The Flames are 16-0-3 when leading after two periods
• The Flames have lost a total of 230 man games due to injury this season
• Friday’s game against the Hawks marks Krys Kolanos’ first game since 2009
• The Ducks are once again led by ageless Teemu Selanne who has been red hot as of late with two goals and an assist in his last two games.
• Selanne has 655 career goals leaving him 1 behind Brendan Shanahan for 12^th all-time.
• The Ducks have won seven of their last nine games against the Flames and have earned points in 23 of their last 25 games meetings against Calgary (20-2-3), a streak that dates back to March 1999.

GAME DAY QUOTE:

"More than anything, we just have to climb; we have to get ourselves on a roll here. We know we need to get over 90 points. We know we need to get on a streak here. It's important to get the winning feeling going and climb. We think we can make it."

– Jarome Iginla