Anaheim @ Calgary preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 22, 2019 ) Anaheim 1, Calgary 2

The Calgary Flames have answered a sizzling stretch in which they recorded 33 goals during a 6-1-0 run by being outscored 5-1 while losing the first two contests of their three-game homestand. The Flames will look to ignite their offense when they host the Ducks on Friday before wrapping up their three-game trek through California next week with a visit to Anaheim.

"It's going to be harder (at this time of year)," Calgary coach Bill Peters said. "You see teams that are dialed in, play head-to-head, there's not a lot of easy offense. There's offense that can be generated, but all five guys have to work in unison to do it." The Flames failed to get their offense untracked in Wednesday's 2-1 setback against Dallas, with defenseman T.J. Brodie scoring after cleaning up a rebound of Johnny Gaudreau's shot with 1:32 remaining in the third period. While Calgary still has a comfortable cushion over San Jose atop the Pacific, Anaheim has embraced the spoiler's role by posting a 4-1-1 mark in its last six games while also getting a closer look at its future. Rookie Sam Steel, who was a first-round pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, recorded a hat trick in the Ducks' 5-4 victory versus Vancouver on Tuesday.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime (Anaheim), Sportsnet West (Calgary)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (32-36-10): Rickard Rakell wasn't in much of a mood to celebrate scoring his fourth goal in his last three games after Anaheim was eliminated from postseason contention on Tuesday. "It's a little different," the 25-year-old Swede said. "But something like Steel's hat trick got everyone going on the bench and was fun and gave the team some energy, and we just kept going from that." Countryman Jakob Silfverberg, who leads the team with 23 goals, scored in a 3-2 win over Calgary on Nov. 7.

ABOUT THE FLAMES (47-23-7): Sean Monahan's frustration level appears to be building with each passing game, as the top-line forward has mustered just two goals in 19 contests after tallying 29 times in his previous 56. "You can get a lot of looks throughout a game, but you don't count looks on the scoreboard. You've got to get to the crease. That's how you score goals," the 24-year-old Monahan said. Fourth-liner Andrew Mangiapane, who has three goals in his last five games, scored the go-ahead tally with 3:29 remaining in the third period of a 2-1 win over Anaheim on Feb. 22.

OVERTIME

1. Calgary LW Matthew Tkachuk, who scored a power-play goal against Anaheim on Nov. 7, has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last three games.

2. Ducks G John Gibson has allowed 19 goals in his last seven starts (6-1-0).

3. Flames captain Mark Giordano has been held without a point in back-to-back games despite unleashing 15 shots on goal.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Ducks 2