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Kings seek rare success against Flames

Nov 25, 2008 - 2:41 PM Los Angeles (8-8-3) at Calgary (11-9-1), 9:30 pm EST

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Kings have sputtered since their four-game win streak and a trip to Alberta might not be the best place to cure their recent ailments.

Seeking their second win in 12 matchups against the Calgary Flames, the Kings hope to get back on track against one of their Western Conference rivals on Tuesday.

After winning four straight from November 6-13, Los Angeles capped a 1-2-1 stretch with a 4-2 shootout loss the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The Kings scored just four goals in the losses and five in the lone win during their current slide.

Their offensive woes could receive a boost if Calgary netminder Miikka Kiprusoff continues to struggle.

Coming off his second shutout of the season, Kiprusoff made 32 saves but allowed four goals - the ninth time in 20 starts he's allowed at least that many - in the Flames' 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Kiprusoff has started six straight games and has yielded five or more goals in half those contests, all of which were losses.

The Kings, on the other hand, have watched Erik Ersberg secure the starting goaltender's position. The 26-year-old is 5-3-2 with a 2.05 goals-against average in 11 games and hopes to stymie the Flames, who have scored one goal in five of their last seven contests.