5 THINGS - FLAMES @ KINGS
The Flames kick off their four-game roadie in the City of Angels
Video: Brendan Parker sets up tonight's divisional clash
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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day With Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
Getting Back on Track
Projected Lineup
Say What - 'We Want to be a Playoff Team'
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
Head-to-Head Stats
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Johnny Gaudreau (92)
Goals - Elias Lindholm (34)
Kings:
Points - Anze Kopitar (59)
Goals - Adrian Kempe (45)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 23.8% (9th) / PK - 83.4% (6th)
Kings:
PP - 16.8% (28th) / PK - 76.3% (23rd)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 55.77% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 56.53% (1st)
Kings:
Shot Attempts: 54.39% (4th)
High-Danger Chances: 52.92% (11th)
The Flames fell 6-4 to the Blues Saturday, losing their third straight game.
Noah Hanifin tied it up in the third - Brett Ritchie and Johnny Gaudreau providing earlier markers - but Nathan Walker put the Blues ahead for good at the 18:04 mark. They added an empty-netter before Dillon Dube tallied with 38 seconds left for a last-minute push. Brandon Saad would add another EN tally, though, to seal the deal.
The Flames controlled the play for much of the game, outshooting the visitors 43-25 and finishing with a 18-8 edge in high-danger chances.
With games tightening up down the stretch, the Flames - who are seventh in league scoring with 238 goals - know offensive production will be harder to come by.
However, lapses in their checking game also have players and coaches concerned.
Because while their goal-scoring this season has been impressive, their relentless pressure, proper positioning and commitment to a 200-foot checking game has helped them rack up a +67 goal differential, third in the NHL behind only the Western-leading Avalanche (+73) and Eastern-leading Panthers (+83).
"Lost coverage a few times," said Milan Lucic after the loss to St. Louis. "It's coverage that we've been really good at all year.
"We've just gotta clean it up. It's a matter of sticking with it. If you get frustrated and start trying to do too much and do someone else's job, that's when you get away from your game plan and identity. It is probably a good time for a road trip, here."
Video: "We gotta clean it up"
The Kings have won two straight, beating the Flames 3-2 in a shootout on March 31 and then clipping the Jets 3-2 in Winnipeg on Saturday.
Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and assist in a pivotal win against the 'Peg as they continue to climb the Pacific Division standings.
Kopitar also hit a milestone playing in his 1,200th game.
"We played the game we wanted early," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan told NHL.com's Darrin Bauming after that tilt. "Halfway through the night we started taking penalties and gave them every opportunity to get back in. … Most of that penalty-kill came in the second half of the game, so I really thought it was two different games."
Cal Petersen won his second straight outing between the pipes, making 25 saves. The Jets were a dismal 0-for-6 on the powerplay as the Kings penalty-killers - and their goalie - came up big.
"Cal stepped up and played a great game," Los Angeles defenseman Sean Durzi said. "I thought a couple times we hung him out to dry and, obviously, he made the big stops for us, which was huge."
The Kings continue to have a sizable MASH unit, missing a handful of starters, notably defenceman Drew Doughty.
In the win against the Flames, Alex Iafallo scored in the second period and Viktor Arvidsson scored late in the third period to force extra time and then the 1-on-1 contest. Lias Andersson had the lone tally in the shootout.
Video: CGY Recap: Gaudreau scores in 3-2 shootout defeat
ROAD WARRIORS:The Flames are back on the road and will play consecutive road games for the first time since Feb. 1-2. They have only played seven road games to their 21 home games through February, March and the start of April. Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 40 points (14G, 26A) away from home this season, while Andrew Mangiapane has scored 21 of his 30 goals on the road. Matthew Tkachuk is also over a point-per-game on the road this season with 34 points (13G, 21A) in 32 road contests.
MACK ATTACK: Connor Mackey was recently recalled from the Stockton Heat (AHL). Mackey has five goals and 36 points in 53 games this season to lead all Stockton defencemen. The 25-year-old has six games of NHL experience, with a goal and two assists.
Flames - Noah Hanifin
The blueliner has been racking up the points over his past five game with six (1G, 5A) in that span. Hanifin also has two multi-point outings in his last five games to bring his season point total up to 34 (7G, 27A), a career-high for the 25-year-old veteran of 503 NHL games. He is just 13 points shy of 200 in his career.
Kings - Anze Kopitar
As mentioned above, the captain had a goal and two points in the win over the Jets after being held off the scoresheet for his previous three outings. The 34-tear-old veteran is an impressive 57.5% in the faceoff dot and remains one of the best two-way centres in the league.
Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Oliver Kylington, Chris Tanev, and Erik Gudbranson have all set career-highs in points this season. Nikita Zadorov is just four points away from joining the Flames five other defencemen in having career-high point totals in a season.
