Mikael Backlund will look to remain hot as the Calgary Flames travel to Edmonton for the first of a home-and-home against the Oilers on Tuesday night.
Backlund has four goals and an assist over his last two games for the Flames, who have won back-to-back and three of four.
The Flames captain scored twice in a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday before adding a pair and an assist in Calgary’s 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
“I was just trying to go to the net and put the puck in,” Backlund said. “Obviously, it feels good to score some goals and help the team win.”
The line of Backlund, Connor Zary and Blake Coleman cashed in two goals and six assists in the win over the Golden Knights.
“Over the last little bit, they’re playing a much quicker game,” said Flames coach Ryan Huska. “I think all three of them have been much harder on the puck, and that’s the difference.
“Mikael’s going to the net more … I think he’s up to speed. Now, he’s going.”
Matt Coronato paces the Flames with 11 goals in 35 games, while Nazem Kadri has a team-leading 31 points in 36 contests this season.
Flames starter Dustin Wolf is 11-13-2 with an .896 save percentage and a 2.92 goals-against average in 27 games this season. In two career appearances against the Oilers, Wolf is 1-0-1 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.84 GAA.
Calgary edged Edmonton 4-3 in a shootout in the first meeting between the Pacific Division rivals on Oct. 8, the season opener for both clubs.
Tuesday is the first of back-to-back games wrapped around the NHL’s holiday break — the two teams will reconvene in Calgary on Saturday.
Edmonton will look to conclude a brief two-game homestand on a winning note after edging the Golden Knights 4-3 on Sunday.
Captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in the win, extending his point streak to 10 games (12 goals, 14 assists).
The NHL’s first star for the second consecutive week, McDavid registered five goals and five assists in four games last week to take over the league’s scoring lead.
Entering Monday’s action, the 28-year-old has 23 goals and 39 assists in 37 games — McDavid’s 62 points are one better than Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added a pair of goals and an assist, and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 7-2-1 in their last 10 games with the win over Vegas.
Leon Draisaitl added two assists and goaltender Connor Ingram made 26 saves in his Oilers debut.
Ingram, who was recalled on Friday, was acquired by the Oilers from the Utah Mammoth in October. Sunday was the 28-year-old’s first NHL start since Feb. 22.
“There’s a lot of days I didn’t think it would ever happen again,” Ingram said. “It’s just the truth of it in this world. It’s a competitive game. There are 64 spots in the world to do this, so you don’t take it for granted any day that you’re up here. It’s a huge honor.”
–Field Level Media
