(Sports Network) - The Nashville Predators will continue the Western Canada
portion of their five-game road trip when they visit the Calgary Flames for
Thursday's encounter at the Saddledome.
The Predators began this swing on Tuesday with a 4-0 triumph in Dallas, but
followed it with Thursday's 7-4 defeat in Vancouver.
Nashville has a 5-8-2 road record and has enough games left on this swing to
get to .500 as the guest. After Friday's stop in Calgary, the Predators will
stay in Alberta for Sunday's clash with the Edmonton Oilers and then move back
across the border for Tuesday's finale in Columbus.
Nashville fell behind 3-1 in the first period against the Canucks on Thursday
and were never able to draw even. The Predators eventually cut the score to
5-4 late in the third period, but Henrik Sedin pushed the lead back to two
with 2:34 left and David Booth sealed the victory with an empty-netter.
Matt Halischuk had a goal and an assist in the loss while Mike Fisher, Nick
Spaling and Gabriel Bourque each scored for the Predators, who have lost five
of their last seven.
Pekka Rinne was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on
just 12 shots while Chris Mason stopped 7-of-9 shots in relief.
The Predators played on Thursday without leading scorer Colin Wilson and
fellow forwards Patric Hornqvist and Paul Gaustad, who all are sidelined with
upper-body injuries.
The Flames, who are tied with Colorado for last in the West, ended a three-
game losing streak their last time out, beating the visiting Detroit Red Wings
going away. Lee Stempniak scored the go-ahead goal as the Calgary Flames used
a huge third period to take the 5-2 win at the Saddledome.
The score was tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes, but Calgary scored all three goals
in the third period, beginning with Stempniak's wrister at 5:37.
Stempniak and Curtis Glencross each posted a goal and an assist, while Jay
Bouwmeester, Blake Comeau and Alex Tanguay all scored for the Flames. Miikka
Kiprusoff posted 36 saves in the win.
"As a team, we've been doing a better job of developing chemistry and creating
chances," said Stempniak.
The win was the third straight on home ice for the Flames, who are 7-5-2 in
Calgary this season compared to a 3-6-2 record everywhere else.
Friday's contest is the first of three scheduled meetings between the Flames
and Predators this season. Nashville won three of four in 2011-12, but Calgary
has taken six of 10 overall in the series. The clubs have split the past six
encounters at the Saddledome.
The Sports Network