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Avs aim to extend Flames' losing streak

Nov 9, 2010 - 4:06 PM (Sports Network) - The Avalanche and Flames have gone in opposite directions since their meeting in Calgary nearly two weeks ago.

Colorado seeks an eighth victory in its last 10 meetings with Calgary and will also try to deal the Flames a fifth consecutive loss overall this evening in a matchup at the Pepsi Center.

The Avalanche have won three of their last four, a stretch that began with a 6-5 win at the Flames on Oct. 28. Colorado started a four-game homestand following that victory and has won two of three on the residency, including Saturday's 5-0 triumph over Dallas.

Making his fifth straight start with Craig Anderson out with a knee injury, Peter Budaj made 31 saves for his ninth career shutout and first since Dec. 7, 2009.

Kevin Porter scored twice, Philippe Dupuis posted his first NHL goal, a short- handed tally in the second period, and had two assists, while Brandon Yip and Milan Hejduk also scored.

"Dallas is a great team, but tonight we just outplayed them," said Budaj. "We wanted to play with our system, not theirs. Our penalty killing was great tonight and our defense forced them to shoot from bad angles."

In addition to Anderson, defensemen Adam Foote (concussion), Kyle Cumiskey (concussion) and Ryan Wilson (leg) all remain out, while forward David Jones is questionable with a hand injury after sitting out Saturday's contest.

Budaj was in net for Colorado's win in Calgary last month, stopping 14-of-19 shots faced to post his third straight winning outing against the club. He is 7-9-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average in his career versus Calgary.

Chris Stewart had a hat trick against the Flames in the last meeting, giving him six goals and four assists in nine career games versus the club.

Colorado's victory snapped a two-game slide to Calgary, but it has still dropped two straight at home to the Flames. Each of the last eight games between the clubs have been decided by just one goal.

The Flames are currently on a season-long four-game losing streak that began with their home loss to the Avs. Three of those games have been decided by just one goal, including Friday's 2-1 setback in Minnesota.

"We need a win. We don't want things to slip away," center Matt Stajan told Calgary's website on Monday. "We have to be bearing down and getting more shots on the net."

Rene Bourque scored on the power play, his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He has six goals and three assists over his last seven games as well as 10 tallies and 17 points in 22 career games against the Avalanche.

Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 21-of-23 shots in the loss. He is 1-4-1 with a 2.66 GAA in his last six meetings with Colorado and did not face them in October.

A loss tonight would give the Flames their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight from Jan. 11-28. They may have forward Curtis Glencross back in the lineup after he missed Friday's game with a lower-body injury. He is expected to be a game-time decision.