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Flames and Preds tangle in Nashville

Feb 1, 2011 - 4:27 PM (Sports Network) - Hoping to close in on a playoff position in the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames seek a season-best fifth straight victory this evening when they visit the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena.

The Flames have scored 18 goals while allowing nine to match their longest win streak of the season. This recent run includes a 3-1 home victory over the Predators last Monday before a 4-1 triumph in Calgary against the Blues two days later.

Thanks to the recent streak, Calgary is just two points back of a playoff spot and will try to win five in a row for the first time since Dec. 28-Jan. 5 of last season.

"I just like the way the team is gelling and the way they're playing as a group," said Calgary head coach Brent Sutter after the win over St. Louis.

Calgary will kick off its post All-Star schedule without Ales Kotalik after he cleared waivers on Friday and was sent to Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. Kotalik had just three goals in 20 games while also missing time this year with injury.

"I want to start rewarding our players in Abbotsford who have earned and deserve recalls, and I want to give Brent more options with respect to his lineup and sitting players who are not delivering," said Flames acting general manager Jay Feaster. "This assignment gives us the roster flexibility we need going forward, and it demonstrates that we are serious about doing whatever it takes to continue our push to make the playoffs."

One player who will be with the club is Jarome Iginla, who was selected to the All-Star Game but skipped the festivities due to personal reasons. Iginla has six goals and six assists in his last 10 games and has four tallies and three helpers in his last six versus the Predators, who he has 51 points in 42 career games against.

Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has also done well versus the Predators as of late. He posted a 34-save shutout in Nashville on Oct. 19 and then stopped another 23 shots in last week's home win, making him 5-2-0 with a 1.90 goals- against average in his last 10 versus the club. Kiprusoff has held the Predators to a goal or less in six of his last seven versus them.

Though the Predators' Pekka Rinne gave up three goals to the Flames last Monday, it was a rare hiccup in a solid January that saw him go 8-3-0 with an NHL-best 1.71 GAA.

Rinne, though, is 0-3-1 with a 3.50 GAA lifetime when facing the Flames and the Predators have lost three of four and eight of the last 10 meetings overall. Nashville has also dropped five straight at home to Calgary.

Rinne certainly made a case for an All-Star selection, but defenseman Shea Weber was the club's lone representative. Weber had a solid weekend, posting a game-high four assists for Team Lidstrom in an 11-10 triumph over Team Staal while also finishing plus-six.

"I don't know if I've ever had one of those [a plus-six game], especially in a game like this so it's surprising," said Weber, who finished second in Saturday's Hardest Shot competition.

Nashville is tied for fourth in the West with 60 points, six back of first- place Detroit in the Central Division. The club went 3-3 on a six-game swing before the break, losing the last two.

Preds forward Jordin Tootoo came a step closer to rejoining the club. He was cleared to practice after entering the follow-up care phase of the league's substance abuse and behavioral health program, but still can't travel or play in a game.

Tootoo entered the program on Dec. 27 and has four goals and six assists in 32 games this season.