• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Canucks close out homestand against streaking Flames

Feb 12, 2011 - 4:03 PM (Sports Network) - Hoping to rebound from their first home regulation loss in over two months, the Vancouver Canucks close out a four-game stay at Rogers Arena tonight against the Calgary Flames, who hope to extend an impressive point streak of their own.

After taking the first two contests of their homestand, the Canucks were dealt a 4-3 loss by the Ducks on Wednesday, their first at home in regulation since Dec. 5. Vancouver had notched a point in 15 straight at home (11-0-4) before the setback, which also snapped a six-game overall winning streak.

Daniel Sedin had a goal and assisted on third-period tallies by Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler for the Canucks, who still lead the NHL with 79 points and haven't lost back-to-back games in regulation since Nov. 20-21.

"We didn't play good enough to win tonight," said Kesler. "We turned too many pucks over, we didn't follow the system. The coaches gave us a good system to win this game tonight, and we didn't follow it."

Vancouver also lost another defenseman in the game as Dan Hamhuis exited in the third period after hitting his head on the end boards following a check by Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf. He is doubtful for this game as he reportedly suffered a concussion.

Vancouver is already without injured reserve residents Keith Ballard, Lee Sweatt and Alexander Edler on the blue line, but defenseman Sami Salo is expected to play tonight for the first time this season after undergoing right Achilles surgery in the offseason. He was recalled from his conditioning stint on Thursday.

Cory Schneider gave up all four goals on 24 shots versus the Ducks, with No. 1 Roberto Luongo getting the night off due to illness. Luongo could play tonight and is 15-0-5 since his last regulation loss on Dec. 5, including a win in five straight starts.

Luongo hasn't lost in regulation in past seven outings versus the Flames, going 5-0-2 in that span.

The Flames bring an 8-0-2 run into this meeting following a 5-4 overtime setback to the Ducks last night. Calgary got a goal and an assist from Jarome Iginla, Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross, but yielded the game-tying goal with 2:07 left in regulation before Anaheim's Cam Fowler notched the winner with 18.6 ticks left in overtime.

"It's definitely disappointing that we didn't win the game. We had the lead with [about] two minutes to go," said Calgary forward Brendan Morrison. "It's frustrating but I like the fact that we battled back."

Miikka Kiprusoff made 25 saves for the Flames, who played a second straight game without Alex Tanguay due to a strained neck and are eighth in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Wild.

Calgary wrapped a four-game homestand on Friday and will play its next two on the road, where it is 5-0-2 in its last seven.

Though the Flames halted a four-game losing streak to the Canucks with a 4-3 shootout road win on Jan. 22, Vancouver is still 5-0-2 in the last seven meetings and has won eight of the last 12 played at Rogers Arena.

Like Luongo, Kiprusoff has been in net for each game of the Canucks' seven- game series point streak and has allowed at least three goals in six of the contests.