Preview: Calgary Flames vs LA Kings 2/28/17 (64/82)

After a VERY successful 5 game road trip the Flames return home for a 4 game home stand that begins with their division rivals, the LA Kings. The Flames have won 4 straight and are 9-2-1 in their last 12, a league best and has launched themselves into 7th place in the West. The Flames went from barely hanging on the 8th and final spot to becoming one of the hottest teams in the league. Brian Elliott has been a huge factor in that as he has gone 7-1-1 over that span and has really made some huge stops that have kept the Flames in games.

The Kings have made headlines, not with their play, but with their acquisition of Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop. Jonathan Quick went down early this season and only recently came back to the Kings on Saturday during a Kings 4-1 win over the Ducks. What was head scratching was LA’s dealing of Peter Budaj who was 27-20-3 when he was dealt. LA is 3-6-1 in their last 10 and that free fall has seen them go from secure in a playoff spot to 9th in the West, 5 points behind the Flames.

This game has rather large playoff ramifications attached to it and the Flames could really use the 2 points to get closer to Edmonton in the standings and to push the Kings further away from the playoff picture. The two teams have met only once so far this season, with the Flames losing 5-0. That leaves 4 more games between these two are the season winds down. That should make for some compelling hockey down the stretch.

Here’s how the teams match-up:

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 Hurricanes 1

The Flames won their 4th straight on Sunday as they closed out a 5 game road trip with a 3-1 win over the Hurricanes. Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland provided all the offence the Flames would need and Brian Elliott kept up his end of the bargain stopping 34 of 35 shots on his was to his 15th win on the season. Here’s our recap and the highlights from the game.

LA Kings 4 Minnesota Wild 5 (OT)

The Kings fell in Jonathan Quick’s second game back on Monday night 5-4 in OT to the Wild. The star goaltender stopped 30 of 35 in the loss and Jake Muzzin added a goal and an assist to pace the Kings. Here’s the highlights.

Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

Calgary Flames

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Hot: Johnny Gaudreau (F). Fresh off a 3 point effort, Johnny Gaudreau was named the NHL’s 3rd Star of the Week. In his last 11 games he has 12 points, 10 of which are assists. Gaudreau’s 2 goals against Carolina put him at 13 on the season and were his first goals in 12 games. Where he’s been on fire lately has been dishing the puck. Gaudreau has 13 assists in his last 14 outings.

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Not: Kris Versteeg (F). The Alberta product is in a little bit of a slump lately. He has 2 points (1G 1A) in his last 15 games. Versteeg looked like he might be the spark on offence that the Flames were looking for, but that hasn’t happened. Versteeg has 23 points on the season, but only 6 of those have come since his 10 point outburst in the month of December.

LA Kings

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Hot: Tanner Pearson (F). Pearson has been a point per game player in the month of February, netting himself 11 points in 11 games. Over that span he’s had three 3 point games, including a 3 assist effort against the Ducks on Saturday night.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Not: Drew Doughty (D). While the veteran defenceman has 34 points on the season, he’s struggled in his last 10. Doughty has 3 assists over that span after going through a 9 game stretch where he had a point in all 9 games. Doughty notched an assist in the Kings 5-0 win over the Flames back on November 5th.