Game Preview: Flames vs Dallas Stars

CALGARY FLAMES (29-25-11 69 points) vs. DALLAS STARS (34-26-5 73 points) GAME 66

PREVIEW:

Every game is important for the Flames at this point but tonight’s contest against the Stars is pretty much their season. This will be the second of four meetings between the clubs with the Stars taking the first meeting on Feb. 16^th 3-2 in overtime. That meeting sent the two teams on two separate paths. Before that February meeting, the Flames held a 3 point lead over the Stars but with a 2-3-3 stretch, the Flames now find themselves 4 points back of the Stars for the 8^th and final playoff spot. The Stars have been red hot since then going 6-1-2 and are current on a six game point streak (5-0-1). Make note this game is a 4 pm start.

The Flames come home after a quick 2 game road trip in Phoenix and Anaheim. After a big 4-2 victory in Phoenix where the team played with lots of compete and desperation, one play decided their fate against Anaheim. A defensive zone breakdown left Ryan Getzlaf all alone to pot the game winning goal with only 46 seconds left in the third period. It was a tough way to lose the game but at this point of the season, as Mike Cammalleri put it, is ‘unacceptable’. Leland Irving played well in his first action since February 9^th, making 38 saves. Irving was sent back to Abbotsford today, but should be back later this month as the Flames are set to play back-to-back games on Mar. 15^th and 16^th. The Flames are now winless in 15 straight games at the Honda Centre with their last win coming back in 2004.

The Stars come into the Dome this afternoon, coming off a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. Kari Lehtonen made 20 saves in the victory and was a mere 30 seconds away from his third shutout of the season. Lehtonen has been the backbone in the Stars climb up the standings, going 4-0-1 in his last 5 starts, posting a 1.37 GAA. The Stars also welcomed back number one center, Jamie Benn back to the line-up last week after he had missed 6 games due to a leg injury. Benn continues to get better in his third season with 18 goals and 51 points in only 54 games.

There really isn’t much to say about the Flames play of late. It’s either really good or really bad and lately it hasn’t been very good as the team has lost 5 of 6. One positive that came from the road trip, was the awakening of the Flames top players. Jarome Iginla, Mike Cammalleri and Alex Tanguay found instant chemistry together, while Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross have gotten back where they left off before Glencross’s injury. Tonight’s is the annual ‘Jersey off our backs’ game, which is all about the fans. The fans should be the focus for the Flames as they have gone 0-2-2 in their last four at the dome, being outscored 18-9 during that span. It’s now or never for the Flames as a loss tonight could be the final dagger in their playoff hopes.

PROJECTED LINES:

Flames:                                                                        Stars:

1-TANGUAY-CAMMALLERI-IGINLA                            1-OTT-BENN-BURISH

2-GLENCROSS-JOKINEN-MOSS                               2-ERIKSSON-RIBEIRO-RYDER

3-KOSTOPOULOS-STAJAN-COMEAU                       3-NYSTROM-FIDDLER-DVORAK

4-BOUMA-HORAK-JACKMAN                                     4-GARBUTT-WANDELL-VINCOUR

1-BOUWMEESTER-SMITH                                          1-SOURAY-ROBIDAS

2-GIORDANO-HANNAN                                               2-GOLIGOSKI-LARSEN

3-BRODIE-SARICH                                                      3-FISTRIC-DALEY

1-KIPRUSOFF                                                               1-LEHTONEN

2-KARLSSON                                                                2-BACHMAN

EXTRA- BABCHUK                                                        EXTRA- PETERSON, PARDY

INJURIES:

Flames: D- Chris Butler (Lower Body- IR), C- Mikael Backlund (Upper Body- IR), C- Blair Jones (Ankle- IR), RW- Lee Stempniak (Ankle- IR)

Stars: LW- Brenden Morrow (Neck- IR), LW- Jake Dowell (Upper Body- IR)

STATS:

Flames

Stars

PP-

Flames: 17.5% (14^th)

Stars: 14.4% (28^th)

PK-

Flames: 83.2% (9^th)

Stars: 82.3% (15^th)

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

DID YOU KNOW?

• Last ten games: Flames 4-3-3, Stars 6-2-2
• The Flames and Stars will get to know each other real well this month as they will face each other 3 times. Playoff style hockey is here.
• Miikka Kiprusoff is 5-1-2 with a 2.06 GAA in his last eight starts against the Stars.
• Kari Lehtonen has lost his only two starts in Calgary, posting a 4.04 GAA
• Kiprusoff and Lehtonen come into tonight’s action as the two winningest Finnish-born goaltenders in NHL history. Kiprusoff is 1^st with 304 victories, while Lehtonen trails him with 159.
• The road for the Flames doesn’t get any easier this month as they are set to play a franchise record 17 games.
• The Stars have won three straight on the road, outscoring their opposition 9-2 and have won 5 of their last 7 meetings at the Saddledome.
• Mike Ribeiro has been a thorn in the Flames side, scoring in six consecutive games (6g, 6a).
• The Stars have had success against Canadian opponents this season with a 7-0-1 record.

GAME DAY QUOTE:

"Really unacceptable with where we're sitting (in the standings) right now.”

 – Mike Cammalleri after the Flames 3-2 loss against Anaheim on Friday

Follow me on Twitter: @NickSymon