Flames heating up as they ready for California trip

The Calgary Flames are heading to Anaheim? That means it’s time to comb the archives.

Although, really, only a slight adjustment to the compiled data is required. Because the date of the Flames’ most recent victory in Anaheim has not changed — it remains Jan. 19, 2004.

Only the pile of losses needs to be updated — 13 consecutive now (the last six by one goal).

“We go in with the mindset that we’re due to win in there, right?” Jarome Iginla said of Monday’s date at the Honda Center — the starting point of a three-game junket through the Pacific Division. “As far as guys thinking, ‘Oh, we haven’t won there in forever.’ That’s not (true, except) for a few of us, you know what I mean? Other guys have only played three, two games in there (as members of the Flames).” Iginla has a point. The night the Flames did prevail — 5-1 over the Mike Babcock-coached Quackers — both goalie Miikka Kipru- soff and Iginla were on the sidelines due to injury.

In fact, from that contest, from that last whiff of success, there are zero players — from either side — who’ll be suiting up Monday night.

These days, both squads are trying to propel themselves into the Western Conference’s top eight before it’s too late.

“We know they’re playing a lot better,” Iginla said of the Ducks, 9-2-2 in their last 13. “They’re on their final push. They’re further back than we are . . . and we need to push and get in. We know they’ll be hungry.”

This is simply not a great destination for the Calgarians. Never has been. Prior to their triumph more than eight years ago, there had been nine straight winless visits to Anaheim.

All-time, they’re 8-18-12 in Disneyland.

How can these things be explained?

For instance, perennially junky Blue Jackets of Columbus — after an overtime victory Friday in Orange County — now own a record of 10-9-3 at the Honda Center.

These Ducks, though, seem to go out of their way to make trouble for the Flames.

Twice in last season’s late stages, Games 74 and 78 to be exact, Calgary fell to Anaheim. Guess which outfit qualified for the playoffs?

“It’s not really a big issue,” Iginla said of the backstory. “It’s more about just winning now. Like I said, go in with the mindset that we’re due to get one now.”