MONDAY
Calgary Flames (30-24-6) vs. Anaheim Ducks (24-27-7)
2 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome, TV: Sportsnet West; Radio: Sportsnet 960 The Fan AM
THE BIG MATCHUP
Flames RW Elias Lindholm vs. Ducks D Hampus Lindholm
The battle of the Lindholms, although there is no relation between the two. One is on a point-production spree, having hit the scoresheet in 10 straight games. Elias Lindholm equaled his career high goal total of 27 on Saturday night while Hampus Lindholm put up an assist, three shots on goal and four hits in Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
FIVE STORYLINES FOR THE GAME
WHOSE NET IS IT ANYWAY?
Put on your coaching whistle for a moment and picture yourself in Geoff Ward’s shoes. Would you go with the guy that has been struggling and help him try to find consistency by giving him another start? Or do you go with the guy that was parachuted in for mop-up duty on Saturday against the Blackhawks and posted a 44-save shut out against the Anaheim Ducks less than a week ago? Cam Talbot seems like the obvious choice in net for the Flames right now.
REMEMBER WHEN?
The Flames beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-0? It was only four nights ago on Thursday. That was the final stop of a four-game road trip through the NHL’s Pacific Division, ending at Honda Center and the response to a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night. “The response is always the important thing at this time of year,” Ward said afterwards. “You have to park things quickly and move onto the next task, and I thought our guys were full marks for doing that. And as a result, we get a good win.”
ABOUT THE DUCKS
The Anaheim club is 5-3-2 in its last 10 games … On the road, the Ducks are 12-16-4 overall … Adam Henrique scored a pair of goals while Derek Grant, Sam Steel and Brendan Guhle also added markers in the Ducks’ 5-1 win over the host Vancouver Canucks on Sunday … Ducks goalie John Gibson made 37 saves in that afternoon victory … It’s a quick two-game road trip to Canada for the Ducks who only play back-to-back games in Vancouver and Calgary — both matinees.
GREAT QUESTION
There was a new face among the Calgary sports media, interviewing Flames head coach Geoff Ward after Sunday’s practice. The snappy-dressed junior reporter named Nash threw out the second question of the day. And a good one, too, as he asked the team’s skipper how they can repeat Thursday’s 6-0 win over the Ducks. Ward explained: “We have to have the same sort of start. We have to have a much better start than we did Saturday night and making sure we’re advancing the puck north and making sure we’re being direct to the net, getting pucks there and getting bodies there. We need to settle into a good game in the first 10 minutes. That will be key for us to duplicate a 6-0 win.” Nash is set to be the local junior reporter for Monday’s annual Family Day clash.
THIS N’ THAT
The Flames will be wearing their retro white jerseys for the third and final time this season. As a result, the Anaheim Ducks will wear their alternate orange jerseys which they also wore against the Canucks on Sunday … Flames C Mikael Backlund and C Derek Ryan both missed Sunday’s practice due to illness which could put a wrench in their lineup on Monday if both are unavailable … The Flames have lost five straight games at home and are desperately trying to improve their record at Scotiabank Saddledome … After Monday’s game, they’ll have a day-off and two practices before Friday’s clash against the Boston Bruins before heading on the road again for a five-game jaunt during the NHL trade deadline.
DUCKS LINEUP
Forwards
Devin Shore — Ryan Getzlaf — Rickard Rakell
Max Jones — Sam Steel — Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie — Adam Henrique — Troy Terry
Nicolas Deslauriers — Derek Grant — Carter Rowney
Defence
Hampus Lindholm — Josh Manson
Cam Fowler — Michael Del Zotto
Brendan Guhle — Korbinian Holzer
Goaltenders
Ryan Miller
John Gibson
FLAMES LINEUP
Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau — Sean Monahan — Elias Lindholm
Andrew Mangiapane — Mikael Backlund — Matthew Tkachuk
Milan Lucic – Sam Bennett – Dillon Dube
Zac Rinaldo — Mark Jankowski — Tobias Rieder
Defence
TJ Brodie – Michael Stone
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Oliver Kylington – Brandon Davidson
Goaltenders
Cam Talbot
David Rittich
INJURIES
Ducks — D Erik Gudbranson (upper body), RW Ondrej Kase (shoulder labrum tear)
Flames — C Derek Ryan (sick), D Travis Hamonic (upper body), D Mark Giordano (lower body), D Juuso Valimaki (knee)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play (prior to Sunday’s action)
Ducks: 15.1% (23-of-152, 28th)
Flames: 20.8% (36-for-173, T-12th)
Penalty kill (prior to Sunday’s action)
Ducks: 77.4% (25th)
Flames: 81.9% (11th)
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