Flames vs. Avalanche Preview
DENVER, CO (AP) – The Calgary Flames had their lengthy point streak snapped over the weekend but remain in good position in their drive for the postseason.
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The same can’t be said of the Colorado Avalanche.
The Flames will try to rebound from their first regulation defeat in nearly a month by sending the Avalanche to an eighth consecutive loss Monday night at the Pepsi Center.
According to NHL odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Avalanche -115 money line favorites for Monday’s game against the Flames. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 53% of more than 1,360 bets for this game have been placed on the Flames +106.
Calgary (28-22-8) fell in regulation for the first time in 11 games Saturday, 4-2 at Vancouver for its second straight defeat. Curtis Glencross scored in his fourth straight game to put his team ahead in the second period, but the Canucks answered with three consecutive goals.
“It doesn’t feel good today but we’ve had that consistent game and consistent effort that’s given us a chance to win every night,” captain Jarome Iginla said. “We had some chances. We hit the post. We had some decent looks. It didn’t go our way tonight, but the effort was there.”
The Flames had charged from 14th to eighth in the Western Conference before dropping a spot Saturday.
“It’s been a pretty good run here and now we just get recharged,” coach Brent Sutter said.
A trip to Denver could help Sutter’s team do that. The Flames have won three in a row at the Pepsi Center, and the Avalanche (25-25-6) are mired in their longest skid since an 0-7-1 stretch from March 15-April 1, 2009.
They’ve been outscored 26-11 over the seven consecutive defeats and fallen from a tie for seventh in the West to 14th.
Matt Duchene gave his team an early third-period lead against Nashville on Saturday, but the Avalanche allowed three unanswered goals in a 5-3 defeat, including the tiebreaker with 2:30 left.
“We shot the puck well, put three past one of the best goalies in the league,” Duchene said. “It’s tough. We just can’t catch a break. This is one of the most frustrating things I’ve been a part of.”
The loss was Colorado’s second in a row since Peter Forsberg rejoined the club. The 37-year-old forward had no points, a minus-4 rating, four penalty minutes and three shots on goal while playing consecutive nights in his first NHL action since 2007-08.
“Back-to-back games, first time back with a team, first time back in the NHL. It’s not easy, but certainly I thought the effort was there,” coach Joe Sacco said. “We tried to manage his shifts appropriately so that he wasn’t caught out there too long.”
Sacco’s team will try to take advantage of a Flames club that has given up nine goals in the last two games after allowing 12 in its previous seven.
The Avalanche, though, have lost four of five to the Flames.
Glencross scored twice during a 4-2 victory in Denver on Nov. 9 and the Flames held on for a 3-2 home win over the Avalanche on Dec. 31. In the first meeting Oct. 28, Daniel Winnik scored with 2:20 left to give Colorado a 6-5 win in Calgary.
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