San Jose Sharks vs Calgary Flames
When: 9:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), Sportsnet (Calgary)
PREDICTION: Flames 3, Sharks 2

Oddsmakers currently have the SAN JOSE listed as -110-moneyline favorites versus the CALGARY, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

CALGARY, Alberta — The contest played Jan. 29 will be the only one this year in which Johnny Gaudreau will enjoy being around Brent Burns.

On Tuesday, the two were among those named as Pacific Division representatives for the upcoming NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

First, though, Burns and the talent-laden San Jose Sharks will try to stymie the Flames star when the teams square off Wednesday night in Calgary.

“Last year I was excited to play with Brent Burns,” Gaudreau said Tuesday afternoon. “He’s kind of a funny guy, and he kept it pretty funny in the locker room. So I’m excited to see him.”

Gaudreau was the lone member of the Flames named to the All-Star squad. Burns, who may be headed to his first Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, will be joined by Sharks right winger Joe Pavelski, goaltender Martin Jones and head coach Peter DeBoer.

It will be the first All-Star appearances for DeBoer and Jones, who worked his way up to the status of star after going undrafted out of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League and was traded by both the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins, landing in San Jose for the 2015-16 season.

“Obviously (Pavelski) and (Burns) are givens. I’m glad Marty Jones got rewarded,” DeBoer told the Bay Area News Group. “It’s a great story as far as the way he’s come up and not been handed anything and worked for everything he’s got. Now he’s established himself. I’m very happy for him.”

Wednesday’s meeting will give the Flames a chance to see where they stand against an elite conference team. Calgary is coming off a weak effort in a 2-0 road loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.

Flames goalie Chad Johnson spoke after that defeat about how Calgary needs to come up with better efforts against better teams, such as San Jose.

“Teams that are right around you are a little different than the Phoenixes and Colorados,” he said. “I think we are being tested. We have to respond to these tougher teams who are pushing a bit more than the Phoenixes and Colorados.

“That’s where we are at — we have to push a bit more and give a little bit more and trust ourselves and each other.”

San Jose comes to Calgary fresh off a 5-3 win over the Oilers in Edmonton on Tuesday. Mikkel Boedker led the way with his fourth career hat trick, Burns had a goal — his 16th to lead all NHL defenseman– and two assists, and Jones made 33 saves for his 21st victory in 36 games on his 27th birthday.

The Sharks (25-14-2) top the Pacific Division behind DeBoer, who led them to the Stanley Cup finals last season in his first year behind the San Jose bench. The win over Edmonton give the Sharks five victories in their past seven road games and an overall road record of 11-9-1.

The Flames (22-19-2) are 11-10-0 in the Saddledome.

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Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames
When: 10:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), Sportsnet West (Calgary)
PREDICTION: Flames 4, Avalanche 2

Oddsmakers currently have the Flames listed as 200-moneyline favorites versus the Avalanche, while the game’s total is sitting at 5½.

CALGARY, Alberta — The Calgary Flames have enjoyed considerable success against teams below them in the NHL’s Western Conference standings.

The Flames (20-17-2) want to keep that going when they host the Colorado Avalanche (12-24-1) at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

“We have some big divisional games with teams that are chasing us,” Calgary captain Mark Giordano told Flames TV.

After facing the Avalanche, who they beat 6-3 in Denver on Dec. 27, the Flames will face the Canucks (18-18-3) in Vancouver on Friday before a rematch between the same two teams at the Saddledome the next night.

“We know they’re going to be pushing – there’s desperation,” said Giordano, who admitted that the Flames didn’t play their best game at home on New Year’s Eve when they posted a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. “We’ve got to ramp it up here. It’s all about trying to catch the teams that are ahead of you.

“We feel like we still have a good shot of getting into those top three spots (in the Pacific Division). We’ve got to try and focus on catching those guys. It’s our job not to let anyone else back into it either, so we’ve got to take care of business.”

Teammate Matt Stajan agreed that the Flames can’t look past the Avalanche, who have lost four straight games and nine of their last 10.

“The focus is two points against Colorado and then we know what we have after that,” Stajan said. “There’s never an easy game in the NHL. You’ve got to be ready for every game.

“You’ve got to win a lot of games to get to the playoffs and we know that. We’re in a position right now where we can control our own fate here and if we have a good stretch here, we’ll keep pushing forward.”

The Avalanche will be looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss they suffered in Vancouver to the Canucks on Monday. Vancouver forward Sven Baertschi, a former Flame, scored the game-winning goal on a power play with 3:37 to play in the third period.

“Some of the penalties we’re taking, it’s getting repetitive, but that’s what’s biting us every night,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “We keep repeating the same mistakes and it ends up costing us hockey games. Every mistake we make, it seems like other teams are capitalizing on them. We have to be better, it’s that simple.”

Against the Flames, Colorado will go with goalie Calvin Pickard in net for the sixth straight game. Pickard has started every game since Semyon Varlamov went down with a groin injury and he’s played in 11 of Colorado’s past 13 contests.

“I thought after a couple rough outings and some tough breaks at home that (on Monday) he really settled in and kind of got back to his game,” Bednar said. “Made a lot of big saves for us and kept us in that hockey game and gave us a chance to win.”

Colorado right winger Jarome Iginla, who played a club-record 1,219 games with the Flames from 1996 to 2013, talked to a large throng of reporters in Calgary on Tuesday about returning to his old stomping grounds once again.

“Lots of great memories, and I think it always will be (special),” said Iginla, who also leads the Flames in all-time points (1,095) and goals (525). “Not as strange each time. First it is quite an adjustment, and (I’m) more comfortable with each time. But always fun to come back, for sure.”

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Calgary Flames vs Arizona Coyotes
When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 8, 2016
Where: Gila River Arena, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Calgary), FSN Arizona
PREDICTION: Flames 4, Coyotes 2

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Calgary Flames are on a four-game winning streak, and they won seven of their past 10 (7-2-1).

The Arizona Coyotes are on a five-game losing streak, and they dropped 10 of their past 13 (3-6-4).

Why the disparity in play? Sometimes, the simplest explanation is the best.

“For me, it’s been three things,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said Wednesday as the team took part in an off-ice workout at Gila River Arena. “We’re getting stops from our goalie, our top guys have been excellent and in this little run we’re on, I think our power play is top 10 in the league and our PK (penalty kill) is like fifth. It really is that simple.”

Calgary (14-13-2) opened the season at 5-10-1, and the struggles were compounded by left winger Johnny Gaudreau’s broken pinkie, which forced him to miss 10 games.

Even before Gaudreau returned to the lineup on Sunday, however, the Flames were getting big contributions from center Sean Monahan (three goals, seven points in his last five games), goalie Chad Johnson (9-2 with a .931 save percentage since assuming the starting goaltending duties from Brian Elliott) and others.

Gaudreau has two goals and four points in the two games since his return, and the Flames are rolling.

“I think we did a good job through the time Johnny wasn’t here in establishing a base of play,” Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Now that we get an offensive catalyst like Johnny in the mix, it just gives us a few more chances every game.”

The Coyotes (8-13-4) owns the second-lowest point total in the NHL. Arizona scored more than two goals just three times in its last 13 games.

“It’s the lack of good plays being made,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. “Usually the top players on your team make good plays, whether it’s on the power play or creating chances. We’re not getting enough of those made. Then you look at some grind plays; should be able to grind some chances out. Not getting enough of those plays. Just not creating enough offense.”

Of Arizona’s 25 games this season, 17 were decided by one goal, leading Tippett to believe his team is close to breaking through. However, Arizona is also being outshot 35.1 to 28.2 on a per-game average. Only goalie Mike Smith (.924 save percentage) is saving the Coyotes from a worse fate on a nightly basis.

“We have to do a better job helping Smitty out,” Arizona defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson said.

On Thursday, Smith is expected to start in goal for the Coyotes for the 10th time since returning from a left leg injury on Nov. 16. Smith has stopped 301 of 324 shots over that stretch for a .929 save percentage. Center Brad Richardson is out indefinitely with a broken tibia and fibula he sustained on Nov. 17 at Vancouver.

Johnson is expected to start in goal for the Flames. Left winger Lance Bouma is still out of the lineup due to a shoulder injury.

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Toronto Maple Leafs vs Calgary Flames
When: 8:30 PM ET, Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta

CALGARY, Alberta — Following their longest road trip of the season, the Calgary Flames start a three-game homestand Wednesday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Although they lost 2-1 in overtime to the New York Islanders on Monday, the Flames (10-13-2) finished their six-game road trip a respectable 3-2-1.

Those three wins are as many as the Flames have recorded at the Scotiabank Saddledome — they have a league-worst 3-7 record on home ice — which is something that Calgary captain Mark Giordano said has to improve.

“We’ve got to get some big wins at home,” said Giordano, whose team also hosts the Minnesota Wild on Friday and the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. “We haven’t been good enough at home.”

The Flames get several chances to improve their home record over the coming weeks as they play six of their next eight and seven of their next 11 games in Calgary.

“We have to be positive coming back home here,” said goaltender Brian Elliott, who made 25 saves to help the Flames salvage a point against the Islanders.

Sean Monahan also has some positives to build upon as he snapped out of a five-game goalless drought in New York by scoring his sixth goal of the season in the third period.

“It’s nice to put one in there, but at the end of the day we’re here for the two points and we got one out of it,” Monahan said. “We’re got to find a way to get the job done. Unfortunately we didn’t, but we’ve got to bounce back here at home.”

Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan was happy to see Monahan finally find the back of the net and he’s hoping the 22-year-old center can build off of it.

“I think that’ll be a little bit of a weight off his shoulders,” Gulutzan said. “You know how goal scorers are. They can be streaky and I think that was a big goal for him.”

While the Flames have to improve at home, the same can be said for what the Maple Leafs need to accomplish on the road.

After a 4-2 victory over the Oilers in Edmonton on Tuesday night, the Leafs (10-8-4) have a 2-5-4 road record.

“It probably wasn’t our prettiest win, but we’re very happy to kick this road trip off with two points,” defenseman Morgan Rielly told reporters following the win, which snapped Toronto’s three-game losing streak away from the friendly confines of the Air Canada Centre, where they boast an impressive 8-3-0 mark.

Despite his squad’s sub-.500 record on the road, Rielly was eagerly anticipating Toronto’s trip out west to play the Oilers, Flames and Vancouver Canucks, who they’ll face Saturday at Rogers Arena.

“I just really look forward to it,” Rielly told the Toronto Star. “When the league releases our schedule, that’s the first thing I look for — when we go out west. It’s home. I spent a fair bit of time on the Prairies.”

Rielly hails from Vancouver and played three seasons for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League before turning pro in 2013.

“I like going on the road in general,” Rielly said. “We have a chance to play some huge games on the road, try to get some points and improve our road record.”

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Calgary Flames vs. New York Islanders
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, November 28, 2016
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), MSG Plus (New York)
PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Flames 2

Oddsmakers currently have the Islanders listed as 155-moneyline favorites versus the Flames, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

NEW YORK — The Calgary Flames are staying afloat during a six-game Eastern Conference road trip. They will try to close the trek out in winning style Monday when they face the skidding New York Islanders at Barclays Center.

Both teams are coming off losses. Calgary fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 Sunday night, while New York dropped a 3-2 decision to the Sharks in San Jose on Friday. The Islanders return home to open a brief two-game homestand.

The Flames already ensured themselves of at least a .500 trip (3-2-0). They enter play Monday two points behind the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars in the race for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

“It’s a disappointing loss, but we have back-to-back games and we’ve got to finish this trip off on the right note,” Flames defenseman Mark Giordano said Sunday night. “If we win (Monday), it’s a 4-2 trip, and that’s a good trip.”

The Flames (10-13-1) should have some added motivation after giving up three unanswered goals in the second period Sunday night as the Flyers turned a tie game into a rout.

“I was very disappointed with our guys after the first,” Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I let them know that and it didn’t get any better in the second. There’s no system for being outworked.”

If there were, perhaps Islanders coach Jack Capuano would feel better about his team’s fortunes. New York, which reached the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993, enters Monday with a 6-10-4 record. The Islanders have the fewest wins and points (16) in the NHL.

Eight of the Islanders’ losses were by one goal. New York allowed the go-ahead goal in the final three minutes of the third period five times, including Friday, when the Islanders tied the score with 57.2 seconds remaining, only to give up the winning goal to the Sharks with 22.5 seconds to play.

“It’s just mind-boggling,” Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. “We played one of the best games we’ve played. We came in here against San Jose — Stanley Cup finalists — (and we) dominate the third period. No puck luck right now. There is no explanation.”

Also a fact for the Islanders: They are all but buried in the playoff race already. New York is a whopping nine points behind the New Jersey Devils in the race for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

The goalie matchup Monday likely will pit the Islanders’ No. 1 netminder, Jaroslav Halak, against Flames backup Brian Elliott.

Halak didn’t play Friday but started eight of the Islanders’ first 10 games in November. He is 8-5-1 in his career against the Flames. He stopped 31 of 32 shots to earn the win the last time the two teams played on Feb. 25, when New York captured a 2-1 victory at Calgary.

Elliott lost his job to the surging Chad Johnson, who took the defeat Sunday to fall to 6-3-0 this month. A start Monday would be just the sixth in November for Elliott, who is 4-1-3 in nine career appearances against the Islanders. He last faced New York while playing for the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 4, 2015, when he stopped 24 of 25 shots but took the loss in the shootout as the Blues fell 2-1.

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Calgary at Anaheim
When: 10:00 PM ET, Sunday, May 10, 2015
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCSN, RSN, TVA
PREDICTION: Ducks 5, Flames 2
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Oddsmakers currently have the Ducks listed as 215-moneyline favorites versus the Flames, while the game’s total is sitting at 5½.

Anaheim was a 4-2 winner in its last match on the road against the Flames. They won as -140 favorites, while the total score of 6 made winners of OVER bettors.

Calgary is winless in four trips to Honda Center in 2014-15, scoring a total of six goals in the defeats. Mikael Backlund, who scored in overtime of Game 3, believes the Flames are due. “At some point, you’ve got to win there,” he said. “Things are going to happen if you play well, and I think this year we haven’t played a good full 60 minutes there. If we find a way to play a real solid 60 minutes, we have a chance to win.”

Team record: 50-35-7
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary’s last 5 games
Calgary is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Anaheim

Matt Beleskey’s hand remained hot Friday as he snapped a 2-2 tie during a power play early in the third period, giving him a goal in each game of the series. The four-game streak matches the franchise playoff record set in 2009 by Corey Perry and equaled two years later by Teemu Selanne. Beleskey, who set career highs during the regular season with 22 goals and 32 points, led the team with eight game-winning tallies and tops the club again with two this postseason.

Team record: 58-24-8
Anaheim is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim’s last 6 games
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Anaheim is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Calgary

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Vancouver at Calgary
When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, April 25, 2015
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
PREDICTION: Flames 4, Canucks 2
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Oddsmakers currently have the Flames listed as 121-moneyline favorites versus the Canucks, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

Calgary was a 2-1 loser in its last match on the road against the Canucks. They lost as +130 underdogs, while the total score of 3 made winners of UNDER bettors.

Miller will get the nod in net again Saturday after his strong effort helped the team stave off elimination. The 34-year-old veteran has been superb since replacing Eddie Lack after one period in Game 4, turning aside 35-of-36 shots. “A lot of times, it’s about just getting back into the fight, back into the battle of playoff games,” said Miller, who missed nearly two months with an injury. “I wanted to be there. … You just have to prepare yourself to play and be ready.”

Team record: 50-32-5
Vancouver is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Vancouver is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Calgary
Vancouver is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Calgary

Mikael Granlund made a guarantee for Game 6 without technically guaranteeing a victory, saying “There’s no way we’re going to lose,” the 22-year-old Finn said. “That’s the mindset we need to have going into the game. There’s no guarantees in life, so why would I guarantee something?” Michael Ferland continued to be a nuisance Thursday, delivering a game-best seven of Calgary’s 25 hits.

Team record: 48-32-7
Calgary is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Calgary’s last 10 games
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Calgary’s last 9 games at home

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The Hawks recalled goaltender Henrik Karlsson from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.

Crawford missed the morning skate as the team prepared to face the San Jose Sharks on Friday night.

“He’s out for today, day to day, upper body,” coach Joel Quenneville said after Friday’s morning skate. “Didn’t feel great (after Thursday’s) practice. That’s where he’s at.”

When asked if Crawford could play Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings, Quenneville said, “We’ll see.”

Karlsson was at Friday’s practice along with goaltender Ray Emery, who is scheduled to start against the Sharks.

Emery is 3-0-0 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. He made a career-high 45 saves and stopped all three shootout shots in a 3-2 win win against the Calgary Flames on Feb. 2. “The guys have played well no matter who’s in net,” Quenneville said. “They’ve been consistent. I think there’s confidence no matter who’s in the net in both ways this year. I think Ray is coming off another solid game after a spectacular game in Calgary. I think he’s had a real good approach to the season as well. I’m sure he’s excited about playing today as well.”

The 29-year-old Karlsson was acquired from the Flames for a 2013 seventh-round pick on Jan. 21. He had a 2-2-0 record with a 2.23 GAA and a .919 save percentage with the IceHogs this season.

“Well, he’s big,” Quenneville said of the 6-foot-6, 209-pound Karlsson. “He’s got some NHL games under his belt. He looked all right in practice today, too, so he gives us a nice addition to lineup as far as the organization as well when we picked him up a couple weeks ago.”

Karlsson, who is originally from Sweden, played 26 regular-season games with the Flames spanning the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. He was 5-9-8 with a 2.79 GAA and a .905 save percentage with Calgary. After beginning his professional career in the Swedish Elite League, he was signed by the Sharks in 2009 and traded to the Flames in 2010.

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Kiprusoff was injured in Calgary’s 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

Kiprusoff was added to the IR retroactively and is considered day to day with a lower-body injury. Backlund is expected to miss four to six weeks.

The Flames have activated defenseman Anton Babchuk while center Mike Cammalleri remains day to day with a hip flexor and rookie Sven Baertschi is still week to week with a hip flexor.

The team also recalled center Ben Street from the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.

Street leads the Abbotsford Heat this season with 12 goals and 19 assists in 44 games. He signed with Calgary last summer as a free agent.

Calgary’s next game is Saturday night in Vancouver against the Canucks.

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Kiprusoff, who left Tuesday’s game after the second period, is listed as day to day.

“In the second period I felt some discomfort in the lower body area,” Kiprusoff said in a statement. “During the intermission, it was decided that I not return to play. I really believe that this is a short-term injury and over the next days, I’ll work toward being ready as soon as possible.”

Backup Leland Irving stopped all six shots he faced in the third period against the Red Wings. Calgary (2-3-2) is last in the Western Conference with six points entering Wednesday.

Kiprusoff, who has played in all seven games this season, has a .870 save percentage and 3.24 goals-against average. He has played in more than 70 games in each of the past seven seasons for the Flames.

Taylor’s deal is worth $525,000. He has spent the past two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat.

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