Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames
8 p.m., Saddledome, TV: CBC, Radio: Sportsnet 960 The Fan
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THE BIG MATCHUP
Flames LW Matthew Tkachuk vs. Ducks C Ryan Kesler
When these Pacific Division rivals hooked up shortly after Santa’s annual drop-off, Ducks centre Ryan Kesler was back in Grinch mode, telling reporters he and his pals needed to play “mean” against the Flames. Word trickled to the visiting locker room at Honda Center, and Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t scared off, dropping his mitts to dance with Kesler in the first period. Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan praised the snarky sophomore for something of a solo effort. “Chucky thought he was going to bite the head off the snake,” Gulutzan said after a 2-1 loss in Anaheim. “He was in it from the git-go and fully invested. But the rest of our group? No.”
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FIVE STORYLINES FOR THE GAME
- WHAT ABOUT JAGR?
The speculation was rampant … Perhaps legendary right-winger Jaromir Jagr needed surgery? Maybe he had requested a release after just three months with the Flames? Was the 45-year-old finally set to retire? No. No. No. Although head coach Glen Gulutzan had promised an update Friday on Jagr, there was no big news — he’s still ‘day-to-day’ with a nagging lower-body injury. It’s believed to be a bothersome knee that has limited Jagr to only five appearances in the past month.
- FAMILIAR FOES
Saturday marks the Ducks’ first visit to the Saddledome since last spring, when they put the finishing touches on a sweep in Game 4 of a first-round playoff set. The Flames crew did snap their historic losing streak at Honda Center this fall, but the Quack Pack remain dominant in this rivalry, with a 21-4-1 record against the Flames over the past four campaigns, including two post-season ousters. The Ducks are currently three points ahead in the Pacific Division standings, too.
- FERLAND FILLING NET
The Flames are just hitting the halfway mark of their 82-game regular-season slate — this date with the Ducks is No. 41 — but Micheal Ferland has already established a career-best with 16 snipes so far, the latest sparking the comeback in Thursday’s 4-3 win against the Los Angeles Kings at the Saddledome. The first-line thumper scored 15 last season, nothing to sneeze at but apparently just a hint of bigger things to come from the 25-year-old right-winger.
- HOW SWEDE IT IS
Flames sophomore Matthew Tkachuk lost a bet, and he was wearing the evidence after Friday’s practice at the Saddledome. A proud American, Tkachuk made a wager with Swedish linemate Mikael Backlund on the outcome of Thursday’s early semifinal at the world juniors. After the Swedes defeated Team USA, the 20-year-old Tkachuk faced reporters Friday in the colours of Tre Kronor — a blue-and-yellow shirt and hat. “Guys said it made my eyes look good,” Tkachuk quipped. “I guess that’s the only positive I get from it.”
- THIS N’ THAT
When these two squads squared off last week at Honda Center, Ducks forward Rickard Rakell scored early in the third to lift the hosts to a 2-1 victory … The Ducks captain, Ryan Getzlaf, was blanked in Thursday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Oilers in Edmonton but has still piled up seven points — six of ’em assists — in four contests since the Christmas break … Don’t forget, tickets are still available to Sunday’s SuperSkills event at the Saddledome.
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DUCKS GAMEDAY LINES
Antoine Vermette-Ryan Getzlaf-Rickard Rakell
Andrew Cogliano-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie-Adam Henrique-Ondrej Kase
Chris Wagner-Derek Grant-Logan Shaw
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Hampus Lindholm-Josh Manson
Cam Fowler-Kevin Bieksa
Francois Beauchemin-Brandon Montour
GOALIES
John Gibson
Ryan Miller
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FLAMES GAMEDAY LINES
Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland
Matthew Tkachuk-Mikael Backlund-Troy Brouwer
Sam Bennett-Mark Jankowski-Garnet Hathaway
Andrew Mangiapane-Matt Stajan-Curtis Lazar
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton
TJ Brodie-Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak-Michael Stone
GOALIES
Mike Smith
David Rittich
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SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY (prior to Friday)
DUCKS: 17.4% (21st)
FLAMES: 18.1% (20th)
PENALTY KILL
DUCKS: 83.3% (9th)
FLAMES: 78.3% (25th)
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SICK BAY
DUCKS
RW Patrick Eaves (illness), LW Mike Liambas (undisclosed), RW Corey Perry (knee)
FLAMES
RW Michael Frolik (jaw), RW Jaromir Jagr (lower body), LW Kris Versteeg (hip)