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Anaheim Ducks @ Calgary Flames Game Preview: Peking Ducks?

Yesterday was Chinese (or Lunar) New Year – Gung Hay Fat Choy! And Chinese families generally celebrate by eating Peking Duck. Let's hope we can fry up the Anaheim Ducks the same way. The Flames are only nine points back from first place in the Pacific Division – can they do it?

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The Flames are finishing up a four game homestand tonight, against the Pacific Division leading Anaheim Ducks. With two games left against the Ducks, the Flames still have a chance to win the series, but are currently behind. The Flames beat the Ducks in a shootout in the Saddledome, but are forever snakebitten when playing in the Honda Center and have lost twice since that first game. Luckily, they don’t have to play another game in Anaheim this season (barring any playoff appearances).

It'll be an important game, with the Flames trying to gain a little momentum prior to heading on the longest road trip of the season – seven games in 14 days, all against the Eastern conference.

The first three games of the homestand have been exciting to say the least. After a solid win against the Canucks, the comeback kids returned against Boston – pulling an improbable win out of thin air, and almost did it again versus the Wild on Wednesday, only to come up short in overtime. The Flames had a slow start but picked it up in the second and third, forcing Devan Dubnyk to stand on his head for much of the game. | Recap | Fancy Stats | Boxscore | For your viewing pleasure:

The Ducks haven’t been doing so well – winning one game in the last six – recently falling to the Lightning 4-1 on Wednesday night in Anaheim. A possible detriment, goalie Frederik Andersen has been out for the last four games due to an upper-body injury. He will also not be traveling with the team for their road trip through Alberta this weekend.

In a bid to shake things up, Bruce Boudreau tweaked the line combinations in practice yesterday, even splitting up Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Let’s hope that doesn’t work.

For more on the enemy, check out Anaheim Calling.

Game Time: 7:00 PM MST

Channel: SNW

All-Time Record: The Flames are not on the winning end of things, and the losing streak at the Honda Center hasn't helped the all-time record of 39-42-7-8 and goal differential of -15.

Common Threads: There are a few players that have played for both teams. Most notably, Jonas Hiller signed with the Flames after seven seasons as a Duck. Less notable but trade deadline relatedCurtis Glencross was introduced into the NHL as a Duck, where he played a total of two games.

Rene Bourque and Tim Jackman both spent about four seasons with the Flames and are currently on the roster in Anaheim. In recent news, the Ducks just signed Jackman to a one year extension yesterday.

Approaching Milestones: Games played countdown: Deryk Engelland is five away from 300; Mason Raymond needs eight games to reach 500.

David Jones is still 10 goals away from 100, and TJ Brodie is seven points out from 100. Neither made much headway toward these milestones last game.

Eric Brewer needs nine assists for 200, which is highly unlikely to happen tonight (*knock on wood*). Nate Thompson is looking for three points to reach 100, and Ryan Kesler is three goals out from 200, so let’s stop that tonight. Andersen is one win away from 50, but he’s not traveling so that won’t be happening this weekend.

Scoreboard Watching:

Current records and leaders

Calgary Flames Anaheim Ducks
Record: 32-22-4: 68 points Record: 35-16-7: 77 points
Pacific Division: 3rd Pacific Division: 1st
Western Conference: 7th Western Conference: 3rd
Goal Differential: +18 Goal Differential: +6
Time on ice
Defence: Mark Giordano (25:12 per game)
Forward: Sean Monahan (19:11 per game)
Defence: Francois Beauchemin (22:38 per game)
Forward: Ryan Getzlaf (20:15 per game)
Points
Goals: Sean Monahan & Jiri Hudler (19)
Assists: Mark Giordano (36)
Points: Jiri Hudler (48)
Goals: Corey Perry (24)
Assists: Ryan Getzlaf (37)
Points: Ryan Getzlaf (54)
Shots
Shots on goal: Mark Giordano (151)
Shooting percentage: Jiri Hudler (18.3%)
Shots on goal: Ryan Kesler (161)
Shooting percentage: Kyle Palmieri (18.6%)
Faceoff Leaders
Sean Monahan (50.2%, 1262 taken) Ryan Kesler (55.7%, 1166 taken)
Grit
Penalty minutes: Brandon Bollig (52)
Hits: Lance Bouma (192)
Blocked shots: Kris Russell (186)
Penalty minutes: Tim Jackman (84)
Hits: Devante Smith-Pelly (143)
Blocked shots: Sami Vatanen (114)
ES Corsi/Fenwick (minimum 1/2 team’s games played)
Corsi for%: Jiri Hudler (55.4%, 55 GP)
Johnny Gaudreau (54.2%, 57 GP)
Fenwick for%: Jiri Hudler (55.8%, 55 GP)
Johnny Gaudreau (55.4%, 57 GP)
Corsi for%: Patrick Maroon (60.0%, 50 GP)
Corey Perry (57.9%, 43 GP)
Fenwick for%: Patrick Maroon (60.8%, 50 GP)
Corey Perry (58.1%, 43 GP)

Possible starting lineups

Calgary Flames
Left Wing Center Right Wing
Johnny Gaudreau Sean Monahan Jiri Hudler
Lance Bouma Mikael Backlund David Jones
Curtis Glencross
Markus Granlund Mason Raymond
Brandon Bollig
Matt Stajan Joe Colborne
Left Defense Right Defense
Mark Giordano TJ Brodie
Kris Russell Dennis Wideman
Raphael Diaz Deryk Engelland
Goalies
Jonas Hiller
Karri Ramo

Anaheim Ducks
Left Wing Center Right Wing
Patrick Maroon Ryan Getzlaf Kyle Palmieri
Devante Smith-Pelly Ryan Kesler
Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano Rickard Rakell Jakob Silfverberg
Rene Bourque/Emerson Etem Nate Thompson Tim Jackman
Left Defense Right Defense
Cam Fowler Ben Lovejoy
Hampus Lindholm Francois Beauchemin
Clayton Stoner Sami Vatanen
Goalies
John Gibson
Ilya Bryzgalov

With Markus Granlund recalled from the Adirondack Flames, and David Wolf sent down yesterday, Bob Hartley mentioned he expected Granlund to slot in for today’s game. Is this a sign of bad things with Paul Byron’s lower body injury? Let’s hope not. But hopefully we’ll actually play our prospect this time around.

Meanwhile, Josh Jooris has to sit while Brandon Bollig remains in the lineup for reasons nobody but Hartley (and Brian Burke, probably) will ever understand.

by saltysyd