Surging Flames look to freeze Voracek
Philly sniper riding a five-game streak into Calgary, writes Wes Gilbertson.
CALGARY Streaking, anyone?
Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau is shooting to start a new streak, while Philadelphia’s Jakub Voracek is aiming to keep his alive when the Flames battle the Flyers on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Gaudreau was saluted as the NHL’S third star of the week, but that time frame ended with a bit of a bummer: his seven-game point spree was snapped in Sunday’s 1-0 shutout loss to the Oilers in Edmonton. He piled up four goals and nine assists during that wicked run.
Voracek, meanwhile, arrives in Calgary on a five-game tear. The 29-year-old has scored three times and added a hat trick of helpers during his heater.
Here are five things to watch for when the Flames (19-10-2) host the Flyers (12-13-3):
1
Welcome back, captain
Calgary’s club captain and defensive stalwart Mark Giordano returns to action against the Flyers after serving a two-game suspension for a knee-on-knee knock on Minnesota Wild centre Mikko Koivu. The Flames allowed only three goals against during Giordano’s absence, but their first power-play unit seemed out of sync without the 35-year-old at quarterback.
2
Centre of attention
The Flyers could also welcome back a key piece at the Saddledome. Sean Couturier is expected to return to the lineup after missing a pair of contests due to an undisclosed lower-body ailment. Philadelphia’s injured list also includes former Flames goaltender Brian Elliott, who has been out since mid-november with what’s believed to be a wonky groin.
3
Dandy dozen
Despite Sunday’s 1-0 blanking in the latest edition of the Battle of Alberta, the Flames have been on quite a roll, piling up a 9-2-1 record over their past dozen dates, helping them surge to the top of the Western Conference. They have out-scored opponents 49-26 during that stretch.
4
Feeling the love
While his charges enjoyed day off Monday, Flames head coach Bill Peters was a guest on the Jim Rome Show, proof the sports world is taking notice of the team’s recent roll. “Obviously, any type of national recognition — on either side of the border
— is good,” Peters said after Tuesday’s practice. “But it’s a good team. It’s an exciting team. It’s a fun team. It’s a team worth watching.”
5
This and that
Flyers leading scorer Claude Giroux missed Tuesday’s practice, but it was reportedly just a maintenance day for the firstline centre … Flames rising star Matthew Tkachuk celebrated his 21st birthday on Tuesday … The Flyers’ dreadful start cost Ron Hextall his job as general manager, with Chuck Fletcher hired last week as his replacement. The Flyers have a 2-2-1 record since Hextall’s ouster.