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Winless Avalanche, Flames face off in Northwest showdown

Oct 14, 2008 - 1:33 PM Colorado (0-2-0) at Calgary (0-1-1), 9:30 pm EDT

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Colorado Avalanche will try to get their season moving in the right direction Tuesday when they visit the Calgary Flames in a battle of winless Northwest Division teams.

During the first two games, the Avalanche have yet to hold their opponents' offensive units in check. Goaltender Peter Budaj was exploited in the team's 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday, and suffered a 3-2 setback against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.

Budaj, who has a 4.04 goals-against average and a .795 save percentage, is unbeaten in his last four starts against the Flames.

The Flames were welcomed rudely to the regular season, dropping a 6-0 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. In a rematch Saturday, four offseason acquisitions - Todd Bertuzzi, Andre Roy, Michael Cammelleri and Rene Bourque - all scored, but the Flames wasted a two-goal lead and fell, 5-4.

Calgary is 0-for-13 on the power play after failing in seven opportunities in its last contest.

Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has struggled thus far as he has yielded 11 goals. The 31-year-old, however, is 3-1-1 with a 1.83 GAA in his last five games against the Avalanche.

Calgary lost five of eight meetings with Colorado last season.