Preview: Calgary Flames vs LA Kings 1/4/18 (40/82): Calgary Looks To Win 2 In A Row & Their 2nd Against LA

Calgary Flames vs LA Kings, 7 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

LA comes to town tonight as the Flames will try and string a 2 game winning streak together to start 2018. The Flames currently sit 4 points behind Anaheim in the West for that final WC spot and they are 11 points behind the Kings in the Conference. The Flames luck on the injury front continues to be bad as Michael Frolik will not return for at least another 4 weeks and there’s no time table on Kris Versteeg’s return either. So the Flames are down one of their best penalty killers and one of their best power play options as well. One bonus for the Flames is their PP looked like it came to life on NYE as Matthew Tkachuk got 2 PP markers and Calgary actually put 4 goals in, the first time they did that in 5 games.

The Kings, while having themselves an outstanding season, find themselves in second place in the West behind the shockingly good Vegas Golden Knights. LA has stumbled a bit in their last 8, going 2-3-3 over that span. After winning 6 straight starts, Jonathan Quick has come back to Earth. He’s gone 3-3-1 in his last 6, including back to back games where the Kings lost 5-1 and 4-2. Where LA could give the Flames fits tonight is on the PK. The Kings are the top killing team in the NHL having allowed only 17 goals in 135 short handed opportunities.

This is game #2 of a short 3 game home stand for the Flames and home hasn’t been a place of success this season. Calgary is 10-11-0 at the Saddledome and if that wasn’t bad enough the Kings are 13-6-2 on the road. Calgary did beat the Kings back on Oct. 11th 4-3 in overtime, but the Flames are 2-3-0 in their last 5 at home against LA.

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 4 Chicago Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Calgary sent out the old year and rang in the New Year with a 4-3 OT thriller against the Chicago Blackhawks. Calgary blew a 3 goal lead, but managed to hang on for OT where Mark Giordano got to be the hero. Here’s our recap and the highlights from NHL.com

LA Kings 5 Edmonton Oilers 0

Kings 5, Oilers 0. ‘Nuff said. Jewels From The Crown has the recap and NHL.com provides the highlights.

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Matthew Tkachuk (F). Tkachuk has history with the Kings as he hit Drew Doughty with a rather large elbow last season and then had to deal with the Kings later in the season. Tkachuk just grabbed himself 2 PPGs in Calgary’s 4-3 win over the Blackhawks, giving him 3 goals in his last 4 games.

LA Kings

Dustin Brown (F). Brown had 2 goals in LA’s 5-0 win over the Oilers, giving him 3 goals in his last 5 games. He’s currently 2nd on the Kings in points with 31 (15G 16A) and he had himself a nice little game against Calgary back on Oct 11th. The Ithica NY product had 2 goals and an assist in the 4-3 OT loss.

by Mark Parkinson