Blues vs. Flames Preview
CALGARY, Alb. (AP) – The Calgary Flames have stumbled following a solid start to their homestand. The St. Louis Blues are regaining their footing after a loss to open their trip through western Canada.
View Current Calgary Flames Odds
The Flames look to avoid their first three-game losing streak in more than six weeks Sunday night when they open a home-and-home set against the Blues, who could win consecutive road games for the first time in nearly four months.
After opening its five-game stretch at the Scotiabank Saddledome with victories over Dallas and Montreal, Calgary had its 7-0-2 run at home snapped with Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Boston before falling 4-3 to San Jose in a shootout Friday.
According to NHL odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Flames -145 money line favorites for Sunday’s game against the Blues. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 72% of more than 60 bets for this game have been placed on the Flames -145.
The Flames (31-23-9) led the Sharks 3-2 after 40 minutes, but Miikka Kiprusoff allowed the tying goal with 2:34 left in regulation.
“Leading after two, you should seal the deal. Tonight we didn’t,” center Brendan Morrison told the team’s official website. “We sat back and let them come at us. You can’t win games when you’re playing like that.”
Calgary, part of a crowded race for the Western Conference’s final four playoff spots, last dropped three straight during an 0-2-2 stretch Jan. 3-11.
The Flames avoided a fourth consecutive loss to St. Louis (28-24-9) in the teams’ only meeting this season – a 4-1 victory Jan. 26 that also prevented the Blues from winning their fourth straight in Calgary. The teams also meet in St. Louis on Tuesday.
The Blues snapped a three-game slide Friday night with a 5-0 victory at Edmonton. St. Louis opened its trip with Thursday’s 3-2 loss to West-leading Vancouver.
The only time all season the Blues have won consecutive road games was a three-game run Oct. 28-Nov. 7.
Newcomer Chris Stewart posted his third two-goal game with St. Louis on Friday, while recent call-up Ben Bishop, in net for injured starter Jaroslav Halak (hand), recorded his first career shutout with 39 saves.
“It was a good team effort all the way around,” Stewart said. “Bishop deserved the shutout and we had scoring from all four lines. It was a great team win.”
Stewart has six goals and an assist in five games since being acquired in a trade with Colorado last Saturday. His four scores with the man advantage have provided a major lift to the Blues’ power-play unit, which is 12 for 31 over the last eight games.
Calgary has killed all seven penalties in its last four contests.
“This is why we got (Stewart),” coach Davis Payne said. “He can score in a number of different ways and he showed a couple tonight.”
Stewart posted his second career hat trick in his last game in Calgary – Colorado’s 6-5 victory Oct. 28.
St. Louis can expect to see Kiprusoff in net after the veteran netminder made his 15th consecutive start Friday.
Kiprusoff turned away 28 shots in last month’s win over the Blues to improve to 15-2-2 with a 1.92 goals-against average against them as a member of the Flames.
Bishop has never faced Calgary. Ty Conklin made 16 saves in the Jan. 26 loss.
Flames forward David Moss scored his 14th goal Friday and just his second in 12 games since notching two power-play goals and an assist versus St. Louis. He has four goals and six points in five home games versus the Blues.
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