5 THINGS - FLAMES @ BLUES

FLAMES (21-10-2) at BLUES (12-14-4)

US

The Flames are coming off a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, and now lead the Pacific Division by five points over the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. Matthew Tkachuk broke a 1-1 tie with 11:15 to play in the third period, while David Rittich made 34 saves to give the second-year netminder his 10th win of the campaign. … Mark Giordano had Calgary's other goal - a shorthanded marker - and in doing so, became the first defenceman in Flames franchise history to score a shortie in back-to-back games. … The Flames are now 11-2-1 in their last 14 games. … "We're good enough defensively that when we're dialled in and are committed to playing the game the right way we can shut it down, too," said head coach Bill Peters. "We're good either way." … The Flames have recalled forward Kerby Rychel from the Stockton Heat, and in a corresponding move, re-assigned forward Andrew Mangiapane and Jon Gillies. Mikael Backlund has also been taken off IR, and will be back in the lineup today after missing four games with an upper-body injury. ... Peters has not confirmed a starting goaltender. ... Following today's game, the Flames will close out their three-game voyage on Tuesday in Dallas.

THEM

The Blues have posted back-to-back victories for the only second time this year, and while they're 5-4-1 in their last 10, they still have a long way to go before they're back in playoff contention. With only 12 wins and 28 points on the year, they're 10 points back of a wild-card berth, with four teams ahead of them in the queue. One positive for the Blues is that their prized off-season acquisition, Ryan O'Reilly, continues to tear things up, leading the team in scoring with 31 points (13G, 18A), 11 clear of second-place Vladimir Tarasenko. O'Reilly scored the overtime winner on a shorthanded breakaway the other night against the Colorado Avalanche, giving the Blues a 4-3 victory. "We showed good maturity tonight, resilience," O'Reilly told StLouisBlues.com's Chris Pinkert. "We played them well. We had a good game plan and we stuck to it. We played the game that we needed to win." … The Blues will get arguably their best defenceman back in the lineup for this one, as 25-year-old Joel Edmundson returns after missing two games with an upper-body injury. … On Saturday, the Blues agreed to terms with defenceman Robert Bortuzzo on a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.375 million per year.

US VS. THEM

This is the second of three meetings. The Blues won the first encounter 5-3 back on Oct. 11, at Enterprise Center, giving the locals their first win of the season. … The Flames and Blues will close out their season series next Saturday, Dec. 22, in a matinee tilt at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

THIS, THAT & THE OTHER

THIS: Blues goalie Jake Allen has a 2.22 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in his last 12 starts - identical numbers to Rittich's in 17 appearances overall. THAT: The Flames have been the NHL's best third-period team this season. They rank first in the NHL in comeback wins (7), first in third-period goals (50) and first in third-period goal differential (+26). The Flames are 16-2-0 when they score the first goal of the game and 11-1-0 when leading going into the first intermission. THE OTHER: Sam Bennett is one point away from 100 in his career.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - James Neal
The Real Deal scored his first point in five games with the primary assist on Matthew Tkachuk's game-winner on Saturday in St. Paul. Neal made a great play to protect the puck on his off wing before sending a no-look, backhand pass into the slot for No. 19. … Neal scored his first goal of the season the last time the Flames visited St. Louis, back on Oct. 11.
Blues - Vladimir Tarasenko
With 37, 40, 39 and 33 goals in his last four seasons, Tarasenko is on pace for only 25 this year. He hasn't scored (or registered a point) in six games, and has a -8 rating in that span, despite throwing 17 shots on goal. Yes, this has been a very un-Tarasenko-like stretch, but that shot of his isn't any less powerful these days, and he only needs an inch to break himself out of a slump.