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Flames-Ducks Preview

Feb 20, 2016 - 11:33 PM The Anaheim Ducks answered the challenge brought on by a grueling 11-day trip.

Their reward is a matchup with a team they've dominated on home ice.

The Ducks look to continue their surge up the Pacific Division with a seemingly soft stretch of home games beginning with Sunday night's visit from the Calgary Flames.

Anaheim didn't wilt under the strain of a season-high seven-game trek in which it logged over 7,500 miles, closing with four consecutive victories after losing two of the first three tests. The Ducks scored 16 goals over the last three wins, further proving an offense that was often dormant over the season's first half has put its early problems behind.

"We just stuck with our game plan throughout the entire road trip," forward Richard Rakell said after Thursday's 5-2 win over Vancouver. "We've been scoring a lot of goals, scoring on the power play and playing good (on the penalty kill). This road trip was just what we needed."

Anaheim (30-19-8) has recorded a league-high 53 goals over an NHL-best 13-1-1 run since Jan. 13 that's moved it within striking distance of Pacific leader Los Angeles. The Ducks will host the Kings on this five-game homestand following games against Calgary (26-28-3), Buffalo and Edmonton - three of the league's six worst teams record-wise.

The Ducks had little trouble generating offense in Monday's visit to Calgary, going 3 for 3 on the power play in a 6-4 win. Anaheim is 5 for 7 in man-advantage situations in winning all three season meetings.

Calgary, which owns the NHL's second-worst road record at 9-15-3, has offered even less resistance as the visitor in this series. The Flames have lost 21 straight regular-season games at Honda Center since a 5-1 win Jan. 19, 2004, and dropped three games there during last year's Western Conference quarterfinals.

The Flames come in having scored four or more goals in five of their last seven, though stopping opponents has remained a season-long issue. They are last in the NHL in save percentage (.896) and penalty killing (73.6) and have been particularly poor at the latter of late, permitting 10 power-play goals over their last five.

After surrendering 20 overall in a four-game span, Calgary received a solid 26 saves from former Duck Jonas Hiller in halting a three-game skid with Friday's 5-2 win over reeling Vancouver.

Hiller, reinstalled as the Flames' No. 1 goaltender following Karri Ramo's season-ending ACL tear last week, had allowed 12 goals over his previous four starts. He was pulled early in the second period of Monday's loss after the Ducks scored four times on 17 shots.

Corey Perry and Rakell produced goals in that game and have three each against Calgary this season. Ryan Getzlaf, who extended his point streak to seven games with a goal and an assist Thursday, tied a career high with five assists in a 5-3 home win over the Flames on Nov. 24.

Getzlaf has 12 points over his run and Rakell has four goals over his last six.

Calgary's Mikael Backlund registered his fifth goal in seven games Friday, while defenseman T.J. Brodie had three assists to give him 11 over his last eight.

''Lately, we've been trying to play more of a five-man unit. Jumping through the holes, trying to find the pockets, and get pucks to the net and it worked out for us (Friday)," Brodie said.