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Flames-Coyotes Preview

Dec 2, 2009 - 6:23 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Calgary (17-6-3) at Phoenix (15-11-1), 9:30 p.m. EDT

More than seven weeks have passed since the Calgary Flames lost a road game in regulation.

Considering their recent success visiting the Phoenix Coyotes, there appears to be a good chance that streak will continue.

The Northwest Division-leading Flames look to extend their franchise-record road point streak to 11 on Thursday night when they face the Coyotes, who are seeking their first three-game winning streak since the end of October.

Since 2-1 loss to Columbus on Oct. 13, Calgary (17-6-3) has gone 8-0-2 away from the Pengrowth Saddledome. The Flames improved their league-best road mark to 10-1-3 with a 5-0 victory over Nashville on Monday.

"I don't know if there is anything we do differently on the road," defenseman Adam Pardy said after scoring his first goal since the season opener Oct. 1. "We pride ourselves on being a good road team."

Calgary, 3-0-0 on its six-game trip, has won four straight at Jobing.com Arena and went 9-1-1 in its last 11 games there.

The Flames will likely have red-hot Miikka Kiprusoff in net again as they look to continue their run in Glendale.

Kiprusoff made 22 saves Monday for his second consecutive shutout and third of the season. He went 3-0-0 with a 0.33 GAA in his last three starts.

"With Miikka behind us we are pretty confident standing up, forcing teams to dump pucks, staying up on the rush and not allowing the other team too much time to make plays," Pardy said.

Kiprusoff made 27 saves in a 2-1 win over the visiting Coyotes last Wednesday. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.34 GAA lifetime versus Phoenix.

Nigel Dawes began his current four-game goal streak with the winner in the third period against the Coyotes last week. Dawes had four goals in his first 22 games this season.

"Nigel is getting in those areas to score goals," Flames coach Brent Sutter said. "He is just playing a really intelligent game. He has found some consistency and has certainly taken his game to a level that we would like to see him play at every night."

Phoenix (15-11-1) is starting to play at a higher level following a 4-7-1 stretch to begin November. After a 3-2 overtime victory over Anaheim on Sunday, the Coyotes are looking to win three straight for the first time since Oct. 28-31.

Phoenix recorded eight goals in its last two games after scoring six times in the previous four contests.

"We are not an offensive juggernaut as of yet," captain Shane Doan said of the Coyotes, who are averaging 2.44 goals. "We realize that if we can keep our head above water and keep picking away, we think that we are capable of being better than what we've done so far."

Since giving up both goals in the most recent matchup with Calgary, Ilya Bryzgalov has gone 2-0-0 with a 1.98 GAA. He is 8-3-0 with a 1.88 GAA at home this season.

Flames captain Jarome Iginla, the NHL's first star of the month for November after recording 20 points, has 22 goals and 11 assists in 24 games at Phoenix. He did not score in last week's victory over the Coyotes.

The Flames are 17-5-1 versus the Coyotes since Feb. 23, 2003.