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High-powered Flames to face Sharks

Jan 3, 2008 - 2:42 PM Calgary (20-14-7) at San Jose (22-12-5) 10:30 pm EST

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - Jarome Iginla and the Calgary Flames boast one of the NHL's most explosive offenses. Evgeni Nabokov and the San Jose Sharks are one of the stingiest defenses.

Iginla and the Flames will put their high-scoring ways to the test when they visit the Sharks on Thursday.

Calgary earned a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday as Iginla tallied a pair of goals and Kristian Huselius totaled four points. Iginla's two goals gives him 29 for the season and his 55 points ranks second in the NHL.

But Nabokov and San Jose enter Thursday's contest on a four-game winning streak, and they have not allowed more than two goals in any game during the string.

Nabokov was named the NHL's third star for December after appearing in 15 games last month, going 10-4-1 with a pair of shutouts, a 1.96 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage. The 32-year-old native of Kazakhstan allowed two goals or fewer in 11 contests.

The only netminder to start each of his team's games this season, Nabokov has posted a league-best 22 victories and ranks third in GAA (1.99) and shutouts (five).

He made 26 saves in a 4-1 win over Calgary on October 22.