Avalanche look to rebound against slumping Flames

FLAMES (6-8-2) at AVALANCHE (12-2-0)

TV: SNET-W, ALT

Last 10: Calgary 3-7-0; Colorado 8-2-0

Season series: This is the first of three meetings between the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche. The teams meet in Calgary on Dec. 6. They split four games last season.

Big story: The former Northwest Division foes, sent to separate divisions in the Western Conference in the NHL's realignment this season, got off to good starts. The Avalanche, now playing in the Central Division, have remained hot into November. The same cannot be said for the Flames, who are now in the Pacific Division and have struggled since starting 3-0-2.

Team Scope:

Flames: Calgary lost to the St. Louis Blues 3-2 at Scottrade Center on Thursday. The Flames have dropped four of five games and have started a four-game road trip 1-2-0.

The Flames found themselves in an early 3-0 hole against St. Louis and could not recover.

Disappointed by his team's slow start, coach Bob Hartley found some solace in his team's comeback bid in the third period.

"We made it tough on ourselves. [We gave up] a goal so early in the game ... but we never quit," Hartley said. "I felt that we got back in the game, maybe too little, too late, but at least we showed lots of character and the guys never quit."

"If we could backtrack and replay that first 20 minutes, it might have been a different game," he added.

Avalanche: Colorado lost 6-4 to the Nashville Predators at Pepsi Center on Wednesday. It was just the second time the Avalanche surrendered more than two goals in a game.

Coach Patrick Roy was pleased with his team's focus at practice Thursday coming off the loss.

"I liked the way we practiced today. We're not too high after a win, we're not too low after a loss. I thought the guys were better focused. I thought our guys practiced with a purpose, and we applied our details a lot better today maybe than the last few practices," Roy said.

"You always want to bounce back. Because of where we finished last year (with the NHL's second-worst record), it's probably a question mark for a lot of people," the first-year coach added. "I think it is important for us to stay in the present world, take it one day at a time, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to think about Calgary [Friday night], and we're going to focus about how we need to play to find a way to win that hockey game."

Who's hot: Mike Cammalleri has eight points (five goals) in nine games since returning from an upper-body injury that put him on injured reserve to start the season. He scored a goal in two of three games. … Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists against the Predators. He has eight points (four goals) his past five games and leads Colorado with 17 points.

Injury report: Forward Curtis Glencross (knee) will miss six weeks, Calgary announced Thursday. Lee Stempniak (foot) and Mark Giordano (ankle) also are on injured reserve, and Christopher Breen (abdominal strain) is day-to-day. … Defenseman Ryan Wilson (back) is doubtful for Colorado. Forward Alex Tanguay (knee) is out.