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Flames-Ducks Preview

Nov 22, 2009 - 10:36 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Calgary (13-6-2) at Anaheim (7-11-3), 10:00 p.m. EDT

Jarome Iginla has had no trouble scoring goals lately for the Calgary Flames, but it's an entirely different story when he takes the ice against the Anaheim Ducks.

Iginla looks to build on his first hat trick of the season and help the Flames end their recent struggles against the lowly Ducks on Monday night at the Honda Center.

After suffering its worst loss of the season in a 7-1 defeat to Chicago on Thursday, Iginla made certain Calgary (13-6-2) wouldn't endure the same fate Saturday against Los Angeles.

The Flames captain scored just 13 seconds after the opening faceoff and recorded a goal in each period to lead Calgary to a 5-2 victory, the team's sixth in nine games.

"Scoring that early we were all pretty excited," said Iginla, who recorded his ninth hat trick of his NHL career. "Especially after a tough last game, to have an early start like that was a big boost."

Iginla has been coming up big regularly for the Flames, who improved to 5-0-1 on the road since Nov. 4.

The right wing has six goals in his last four games and has an NHL-best 11 scores in nine games since Nov. 4. With 15 goals overall, Iginla is nearly halfway to his total of 35 from last season.

While Iginla has been on a scoring surge lately, he hasn't had much luck finding the back of the net against the Ducks. He has failed to score in the last six meetings and 10 of 11.

The Flames went 1-2-1 against Anaheim last season and have lost five of six in the series.

The Ducks (7-11-3) advanced to the Western Conference semifinals last season but aren't enjoying the same success this year.

Anaheim, last in the West with 17 points, is 1-4-1 since Nov. 11 and has just four wins in 15 games.

After opening a seven-game homestand with a 4-3 overtime victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday, the Ducks lost to San Jose 3-2 on Saturday, their fifth one-goal loss of the season.

Although Anaheim is scuffling, it has seen improvements from its power-play unit.

Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski each had power-play goals Saturday and the Ducks have five goals on 11 opportunities with the man advantage in the last two games.

Corey Perry earned an assist on Wisniewski's goal to extend his career-best point streak to 14 games, the NHL's longest active run. Perry has nine goals and 11 assists during his streak, and has earned a point in each of his last five games against Calgary, tallying one goal and four assists.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere was in goal for each game against the Flames in 2008-09, posting a 2.25 goals-against average. He has been limited by a strained groin this season, though, and is 0-3-2 with a 3.38 GAA in six contests.

Jonas Hiller made 33 saves for the Ducks on Saturday, falling to 1-3-0 with a 3.78 GAA in his last four starts. He has never faced Calgary in his career.

Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves in his eighth consecutive start for the Flames on Saturday, improving to 5-2-1 with a 2.06 GAA and one shutout since Nov. 5. He is 1-3-1 with a 3.76 GAA in his last five starts against the Ducks.