Calgary @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 22, 2019 ) Carolina 2, Calgary 3

The Calgary Flames drew a tough matchup in their return from the All-Star break and league-mandated bye, and the road will not get much easier when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon. The Flames, who own the best record in the Western Conference, had their nine-game point streak (8-0-1) snapped when it dropped a 4-3 decision to reigning Stanley Cup-champion Washington on Friday.

Calgary capped its sizzling stretch entering the break by defeating visiting Carolina 3-2 in overtime but gave up a last-minute goal on Friday for its first regulation loss since Jan. 3. Sunday's game will mark the return of a number of familiar faces to Carolina - Flames coach Bill Peters, defenseman Noah Hanifin and center Elias Lindholm, who all moved from the Hurricanes to Calgary in the offseason. Carolina returned from its break with an impressive 5-2 win over Vegas that improved the club to 10-3-1 in its last 14 games and moved it closer to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. “They work really hard,” Hanifin, who was part of a blockbuster five-player deal that brought defenseman Dougie Hamilton, left wing Micheal Ferland and prospect Adam Fox to the Hurricanes, told reporters. “They’re fast, obviously got a really good D corps. We’ve got to work hard or we’ll be in trouble.”

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Sportsnet360 (Calgary), FS Southeast (Carolina)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (33-14-5): Lindholm, who has established career highs across the board in his first season with Calgary, scored his 22nd goal on Friday to give him two tallies and nine assists during his nine-game point streak, but he and Mark Jankowski did not make it through Saturday's practice. Defenseman Travis Hamonic suffered a lower-body injury against Washington and did not practice, leaving his status for Sunday in question. Leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau, who was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for January on Friday, had an 11-game point streak halted in the matchup against Carolina on Jan. 22 - the only time he was kept off the scoresheet last month.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (25-20-6): Last month's trade that sent Victor Rask to Minnesota for Nino Niederreiter was viewed as a swap of underachieving forwards who both needed a change of scenery, but the deal decidedly has been benefited Carolina. Niederreiter tallied again in Friday's win to give him five goals in as many games with the Hurricanes after scoring nine times in 46 contests with the Wild. “He’s fit in great and he’s got a great attitude. You knew he was a good player. That was never the issue," coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters. "And obviously, contributing the way he is, that makes it a lot better.”

OVERTIME

1. Flames G David Rittich improved to 7-0-1 in his last eight starts after turning aside 33-of-35 shots versus Carolina on Jan. 22.

2. Hurricanes C Sebastian Aho, who scored in Calgary, has collected three goals and six assists during his five-game point streak.

3. Calgary recalled D Rinat Valiev from Stockton of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Flames 3