Rolling Along
Calagary,Al – Interrupting the Calgary Flames momentum has been a tough task lately, but stopping them at home has been nearly impossible.
The Flames, owners of the second-best home record in the Western Conference, seek their eighth victory in a row at Pengrowth Saddledome on Saturday night when they meet the Phoenix Coyotes.
Oddsmakers from Online Sportsbook Sportsbook.com have made the Flames –210 money line favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Coyotes. Current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 54% of more than 173 bets for this game have been placed on the Flames -210.
Calgary (27-12-4) has opened a nine-point advantage on second-place Vancouver in the Northwest Division with 11 wins in 13 games (11-1-1) since Dec. 16, collecting 23 points. Only Boston – the East’s top team – and Central Division-leading Detroit have more in that span with 24 apiece.
The two defeats over this stretch have come against Chicago, which won 3-2 in overtime at home on Dec. 19 and 5-2 on the road Jan. 4 to hand the Flames their only regulation loss in the last 15 games.
Since that home loss to the Blackhawks, Calgary has reeled off seven straight wins at Pengrowth Saddledome. It hasn’t won eight in a row there since Jan. 4-Feb. 3, 2007.
The Flames have outscored opponents 31-16 during the run at home, as Miikka Kiprusoff has compiled a 2.29 goals-against average. He’s gone 16-4-3 in starting each of Calgary’s 23 games at Pengrowth Saddledome.
Kiprusoff made 33 saves to secure his league-best 27th victory on Thursday night, 3-2 at West-leading San Jose.
Dion Phaneuf ended a 25-game goal-scoring drought by redirecting a shot with 3:57 to play, handing the Sharks – the NHL’s best home team – their first regulation loss in San Jose in 32 games since Feb. 14. Phaneuf leads all Calgary defensemen with 28 points.
Center Daymond Langkow, third on the team with 37 points, has seven goals and seven assists in his last nine games. He notched his 16th goal of the season and assisted on Phaneuf’s score Thursday to send the Flames to their fourth straight victory.
"We want to keep climbing, moving up," said captain Jarome Iginla, leading Calgary with 18 goals and 48 points. "We want to get to the next tier."
Iginla has been held to three assists in his last six games, but might be able to regain his offensive touch on Saturday. The All-Star has 30 goals – his most versus any opponent – and 46 points in 45 games against Phoenix (22-18-5).
The Flames have won nine of their last 12 meetings (9-2-1) with the Coyotes, including four of six at home. After winning 4-1 in Phoenix on Oct. 25, though, they fell 4-2 at home Nov. 4.
Phoenix opened a four-game trip versus Northwest foes with Tuesday’s 6-3 defeat to Minnesota, but rebounded with a 4-1 victory over slumping Vancouver on Thursday night for its third win in four games.
Joakim Lindstrom recorded the first two-goal game of his career for Phoenix, which won for the second time in seven road games (2-3-2). The Coyotes, who conclude the trip against Edmonton on Sunday, haven’t secured back-to-back road wins since Feb. 28-March 5.
"The way we played, that’s the way we need to play and I think we’re going to do everything we can to carry this over to the next two games on the road trip," Lindstrom, who has seven goals in 17 games this season, told the Coyotes’ official Web site.
Coyotes captain and leading scorer Shane Doan (18 goals, 44 points) has three goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak against Calgary.
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Posted: 1/17/09 2:01AM ET