5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. BLUE JACKETS

FLAMES (44-21-7: 95 PTS) vs. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (40-28-4: 84 PTS)

US

Calgary saw its three-game winning streak stopped with a 2-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. In the second game of a back-to-back, Mark Jankowski was the lone Flame to score. The short-handed marker was the 24-year old's fifth of the season and gives him eight points with the man down this season … The Flames played the Jets with a new-look lineup, deploying 11 forwards and seven defenceman due to the absence of Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett. "We were missing two of our top players in Mony and Benny and when you lose guys like that, it puts a lot more heat on guys throughout your lineup," said head coach Bill Peters. "I thought guys filled the void fairly well. We battled hard and it was inches here and there from being a different hockey game in the first." … Curtis Lazar was recalled from the Stockton Heat on Monday. In 49 games with the American League club, he's amassed 17 goals and 37 points.

THEM

The Blue Jackets are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, halting a two-game win streak that saw them beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 on Mar. 15 and the Bruins 7-4 on Mar. 12. In their most recent contest, newcomer Matt Duchene was the lone goal-scorer, netting his 30th of the season. … Backup netminder Joonas Korpisalo was excellent in the win, stopping 31 of 33 shots and helping force an extra frame. "We're not going to think that because he's in there that we're not going to win," Duchene told BlueJackets.com. "He's as good of a backup goalie as you're ever going to see. You take 'backup goalie' with a grain of salt when it's him. He's outstanding." … At the trade deadline, the Jackets made a pair of big trades, acquiring Duchene and Ryan Dzingel from the Ottawa Senators in two separate deals. Since adding the pair to its lineup, Columbus has posted a 6-5-1 record.

US VS. THEM

The Flames are looking for sweep of the season series, winning the previous match-up by a score of 9-6. It was a wild game back on Dec. 4 at Nationwide Arena, featuring seven different goal-scorers for the Flames. Johnny Gaudreau(2G, 2A) opened the games scoring, but was followed by four straight Columbus markers. Monahan (2G, 2A), Elias Lindholm (1G, 1A), Matthew Tkachuk (1G, 2A), Noah Hanifin, and TJ Bodie then rallied for five goals in the middle frame. Goals from Gaudreau, Monahan, and Austin Czarnik in the third period put the game on ice. … "We were bad in the first. There's no sugarcoating it," said captain Mark Giordano. "We gave them a ton of chances. We weren't moving very well. They were the better team. After their fourth goal we seemed to make the switch." … "It was one of those games where I thought we played a good first period," Jackets forward Cam Atkinson said. "We kind of sat back and allowed them to play. I don't think we checked hard. We made it a real easy game for them. Anytime you're up 4-1 you should be able to lock it down."

THIS, THAT & THE OTHER

THIS: Calgary is one of the top teams in the NHL on home ice this season thanks, in part, to having the second-most goals at home with 149 (trailing Tampa Bay - 153). Gaudreau (17G, 34A) and Tkachuk (24G, 27A) both have 51 points at home this season, which is among the top in the league ... THAT:Calgary has an NHL high five players with 60+ points and four players with 70+ points. (Gaudreau - 91 pts, Lindholm - 77 pts, Monahan - 76 pts, Tkachuk - 73 pts, Giordano - 67 pts) ... THE OTHER:The Flames have a league-leading 17 short-handed goals this season, which is their most in a season since 1997-98.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - LW Matthew Tkachuk
He was held off the scoresheet against the Jets, but in the previous three games - all on home ice - he struck for six goals and 10 points, including a career-high five-point night (3G, 2A) in a 5-1 win over the New York Rangers on Mar. 15.
Blue Jackets - G Sergei Bobrovsky
So far this season, he's been a workhorse for the Jackets, playing 3,099 minutes in 54 games. He holds a 33-22-1 record, with a 2.71 GAA, a .909 save percentage, and six shutouts. Bobrovsky has won four of his last five starts, including his last outing against the Hurricanes, where he stopped all 46 shots that came his way.