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Flames and Oilers renew rivalry in Edmonton

Jan 1, 2011 - 5:07 PM (Sports Network) - The Calgary Flames will try to record their longest winning streak of the season tonight when they visit the sliding Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place for a New Year's Day edition of the Battle of Alberta.

The Flames and Oilers have met three times this season and all three of those encounters were back in October. Edmonton won the opener of the season series, but Calgary has taken both encounters since.

Calgary has dominated the series recently, winning nine of 10 and 11 of its last 13 meetings against the Oilers. The Flames have also posted victories in four of six and five of their last eight trips to Edmonton.

The Flames hope to continue that success against Edmonton tonight and pick up a fourth straight win for the first time this season. Calgary matched its season-best three-game winning streak with Friday's close regulation win over the visiting Colorado Avalanche.

Tim Jackman and Tom Kostopoulos each tallied a goal and an assist as Calgary fended off a late Colorado rally to earn the 3-2 decision at the Saddledome. Jarome Iginla added a goal for the Flames, who have won three straight for the first time since Oct. 22-26.

"It's another great game and a great win for us," Iginla said.

Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 19-of-21 shots in the win and the veteran backstop is 25-12-2 with a tie in 40 career games against the Oilers.

Calgary is just 6-11-3 on the road this year and ended a five-game skid as the visitor with a win in Dallas on Dec. 23.

The Oilers, meanwhile, ended 2010 on a five-game losing streak and Tom Renney's boys managed just one win in their final eight December games (1-5-2).

Edmonton earned a point in its most recent setback, dropping Thursday's shootout decision against visiting Colorado. Milan Hejduk scored the lone goal of the shootout, lifting the Avalanche to the 4-3 victory at Rexall Place.

Ales Hemsky and Andrew Cogliano posted a goal and assist apiece for the Oilers and Devan Dubnyk made 24 saves in the loss.

The Oilers trailed Thursday's game 3-0 by the end of the first period, but were able to force overtime by scoring a goal in the second stanza and two more in the third.

"We showed a little more poise than we did at the beginning of the year," Cogliano said of the comeback. "Guys are coming together better and we're trusting each other."

This evening's tilt marks the third segment of a five-game homestand for the Oilers. Edmonton, which will also host Detroit and the New York Islanders before completing this residency, is just 6-9-3 at Rexall Place this season.