Flames try to continue mastery of Oilers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Calgary Flames are now challenging for a playoff spot game point streak. That season- high run doesn't figure to be in danger tonight given their run of success versus the Edmonton Oilers.
The Flames look to continue their domination in the Battle of Alberta this evening as they go for a 10th straight win over the Oilers.
Calgary has put together an impressive 5-0-3 run over the past two-plus weeks, with Saturday's 1-0 victory in Los Angeles pulling the Flames into a tie with the Kings for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Both clubs have 65 points, which puts Calgary 17 back of Vancouver for first place in the Northwest Division.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mike Cammalleri had the lone goal for the Flames and Miikka Kiprusoff came up with 28 saves to log his fourth shutout of the season and 44th of his career. He made seven saves in the final period to secure the tight win.
"He was outstanding again," Flames head coach Brent Sutter said of Kiprusoff. "That's just the way he is. He makes those saves for us, especially those first ones."
Calgary plays the first of four in a row at home, where it has won three straight and gone 7-3 over its past 10. It will host an Edmonton club this evening that is still without head coach Tom Renney due to post-concussion symptoms stemming from when he took a puck to the head during morning skate last Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Associate Ralph Krueger has taken on a bigger role in Renney's absence and general manager Steve Tambellini said on Monday that his head coach isn't ready to return yet.
"He sat with me for close to a period during [Sunday] night's game just to get that intensity, that feeling again. The doctors have recommended that he probably will most likely miss the next couple of games," Tambellini said.
"He could be involved in some capacity with us the game when we come home (Thursday versus the Flyers) but I think it's best probably for him at this point just to get more comfortable with the intensity of coaching again. It's been recommended that we don't rush him."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Keeping Renney away from tonight's matchup could be best for the ailing coach. After all, the Oilers have lost nine straight and 18 of their last 20 versus the Flames, who they haven't beaten since Oct. 7, 2010. They have been outscored 16-6 in losing the four encounters this year and a 3-0 setback on Dec. 10 was Edmonton's 10th straight in Calgary.
The Oilers haven't won on the road in this series since Oct. 17, 2008.
Calgary's Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla both have two goals and four assists in the four meetings this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Edmonton will also be looking to avoid a fourth straight loss overall after dropping a 5-2 decision to Vancouver on Sunday. Shawn Horcoff and Magnus Paajarvi both scored in the Oilers' fifth loss in six games.
"I thought we did a good job of fighting back," Horcoff said. "In the second period, we were right in the game. We were too aggressive in certain areas and we were too soft in our own zone for sure. We turned pucks over and gave them too many easy chances to score."
Nikolai Khabibulin gave up two goals on 17 shots before leaving the game in the first period with a groin injury. Devan Dubnyk was tagged for three goals on 14 shots in relief and will likely see the bulk of action in the foreseeable future with Khabibulin expected to miss 7-to-10 days.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Goaltender Yann Danis was recalled from the minors on Monday.