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Flames look to reclaim home ice advantage vs. Kings

Oct 18, 2007 - 2:37 PM Los Angeles (2-5-0) at Calgary (2-2-2) 9:00 pm EDT

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- Based off last season, the Calgary Flames figured to get off to a decent start at home. However, things haven't exactly gone according to plan.

The Flames look for their first home win of the season when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

Calgary, which led the NHL with 30 home wins last season, lost each of its first two home games against the Philadelphia Flyers - who finished last in the Eastern Conference in 2006 - and the Vancouver Canucks. They look to end that mini-slide against the Kings, who tied the Washington Capitals for the fewest road wins in 2006 with 11.

However, the Kings impressively downed the previously undefeated Minnesota Wild to end a five-game losing streak on Tuesday at home, 4-3, in a shootout.

History against Los Angeles is on the Flames' side, as Calgary has dominated the Kings lately, going 13-4-1 with two ties in the last 20 meetings. Right wing Jarome Iginla has been at his best in that time, accounting for 27 points - 16 goals and 11 assists - in those games.

The Flames also would not mind continuing a season-long streak in which one player has recorded two goals in each contest.

Los Angeles' centers Anze Kopitar and Michael Cammalleri have played well in spite of the Kings' struggles, with each player scoring eight points to lead the team.

However, the play of goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin may be at least a partial cure for the Kings' NHL-worst defense if he can repeat his performance against Minnesota, as the former Toronto Maple Leaf netminder made 28 saves in his season debut against the Wild after missing the first six games due to a groin injury.

Aubin's game was significant in the sense that after its season-opening win over the Anaheim Ducks in London on September 29, Los Angeles had allowed at least four goals in every game until Tuesday's triumph.