(My Sportsbook) - A pair of Western Conference division leaders face off tonight in the Motor City, where the reigning Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings will attempt to maintain their recent mastery of the slumping
Calgary Flames.
Although Calgary presently owns an eight-point advantage over second-place Vancouver in the Northwest Division, the club isn't heading into the season's stretch run with much momentum. After opening up a current seven-game road trip with a pair of victories, the Flames have been dealt three straight regulation losses.
Calgary was more competitive in its most recent setback, a 3-2 defeat to Atlantic Division front-runner New Jersey on Tuesday in which the team outshot the Devils by a 37-31 count. Prior to that game, the Flames suffered lopsided losses at Carolina (6-1) and Atlanta (5-2).
On a positive note, newcomer Olli Jokinen scored his third goal in four games since being acquired by Calgary in a trade-deadline deal with Phoenix on March 4. Fellow Finland native Miikka Kiprusoff wasn't as productive in Tuesday's loss, however, as the standout goaltender allowed three New Jersey goals on 28 shots before being removed early in the third period.
The Flames, who own a 17-14-2 road record for the season and will also visit Toronto on this trek, will attempt to get back on track versus a Detroit squad it has had trouble against in the past. The Red Wings have won five of the last six regular-season matchups between the clubs, including both previous battles in 2008-09, and Calgary has lost eight in a row -- including three playoff defeats in 2006-07 -- at Joe Louis Arena.
Calgary's last victory in Detroit came on December 1, 2005.
The Red Wings also sport one of the best home marks in the NHL this season, a 25-5-3 ledger, and added to that win total with Tuesday's overtime decision over visiting Phoenix. Johan Franzen scored with 1:25 remaining in the extra session to lift Detroit to a 3-2 triumph over the Coyotes, the team's third victory in its last four games.
Both Franzen and Valtteri Filppula finished with a goal and an assist to help the Red Wings rebound from an ugly 8-2 home loss to Columbus on Saturday. Ty Conklin did his part as well, with the journeyman goaltender stopping 23-of-25 shots on the night.
With Tuesday's win, Detroit kept pace with San Jose in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Both teams enter tonight's play with a league- best 96 points.
