5 Things - Flames @ Ducks

1. Last Time Out

It’s the final Friday of the 2023-24 regular season, and the Flames will spend it in Anaheim in search of a happy finale to their three-game California road trip.

After a 3-2 overtime victory three nights ago in San Jose, Calgary suffered a 4-1 setback Thursday in Los Angeles - Jonathan Huberdeau’s deflection serving as the Flames’ only bit of offence to counter a Kings squad that was bolstered by a two-goal performance from forward Viktor Arvidsson.

Tonight, it’s right back to work, and it’s also a chance to avenge a setback at the hands of the Ducks a week-and-a-half ago at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

This evening’s contest is the last of the three-game season series, with both sides eyeing the upper hand after each winning a game in the opponent’s barn.

It's also expected to be a milestone night for both clubs.

Calgary's Nazem Kadri is slated to skate in his 900th career NHL game, while Anaheim's Jakob Silfverberg will take part in his final game at the Honda Center after 11 seasons in Ducks silks (more on both of those milestones below).

For the Flames, Thursday’s game in Los Angeles went the way of the host Kings, but Head Coach Ryan Huska’s group generated a bit of momentum in period three, simply by playing with the type of pace that’s brought them success over the course of the season.

“Third period, I thought we started to skate a little bit,” he said following the contest. “We had some more zone time than we had the first two periods, but I think a lot of it (Thursday’s loss) came down with the competitive side.”

The message from players and coaches alike of late has been focused on forming an identity to carry into the 2024-25 campaign and with four games left on the calendar, the time is nigh to put those habits into practice.

Huberdeau’s goal brought a bit of a spark to the group, but the veteran forward was already willing to forget Thursday’s loss with an eye on being better tonight when he met the media post-game in L.A.

“Just put this one in the garbage,” he said. “Go back (Friday) and be better.

“Obviously on a back-to-back, it’s nice to kind of turn the page. We’ve got four more games - we’ve got to give our all.”

2. Know Your Enemy

For the sixth straight season, the Ducks will be on the outside, looking in, with respect to the Western Conference playoff picture, but they’ll enter tonight’s game having collected points in three of their four April fixtures including a 3-1 win over the Kings on home ice Tuesday night.

Alex Killorn (more on him in our Players To Watch segment below) scored the winner for Anaheim, with Frank Vatrano and Trevor Zegras also bulging the twine in Tuesday’s victory.

Tonight’s game is the Ducks’ home finale for the 2023-24 season, and it also marks the end of an era in Orange County as longtime forward Jakob Silfverberg announced Thursday he’s retiring at the conclusion of the season.

A contemporary of Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom (both he and Silfverberg hail from Gavle, Sweden and the pair played together for the local club, Brynas), Silfverberg has spent the past 11 seasons with the Ducks after being traded to Anaheim from the Ottawa Senators in 2013.

The 33-year-old sits fifth all-time in Ducks franchise history in both games played (769) and goals (158), while his 41 post-season points are fourth-most on the Anaheim franchise ledger - he was part of two Ducks squads to reach the Western Conference Final.

3. Fast Facts

2023-24 Season Series

The visiting team has won each of the previous two meetings between the Flames and Ducks this season.

Anaheim won the most recent encounter by a 5-3 scoreline Apr. 2 at the Scotiabank Saddledome, while Jacob Markstrom pitched a shutout in the series opener in Orange County Dec. 21, a game Calgary won 3-0.

Andrei Kuzmenko had a pair of goals for the Flames the last time these two teams met; his line with Martin Pospisil and Nazem Kadri combined for six points.

Did You Know?

Blake Coleman missed Thursday’s game in Los Angeles with an upper-body ailment, marking his first absence of the 2023-24 campaign.

Mikael Backlund, Nazem Kadri, Yegor Sharangovich and MacKenzie Weegar are the only Flames to have suited up in all 78 regular-season contests this season ahead of tonight’s game.

4. 900 For Naz

This evening, Nazem Kadri is expected to dress in his 900th career NHL game, becoming the second player on Calgary’s current roster to achieve the feat.

Originally selected seventh-overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2009 NHL Draft, Kadri has put up 269 goals and 636 points over the course of his career.

His goal Tuesday night in San Jose was his 50th in a Flames uniform since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2022. This season, he’s enjoying his second-most productive season in the NHL, with a team-leading 68 points to his name.

Kadri’s career has produced many memorable moments, but none more special than his role in Colorado’s Stanley Cup championship squad of 2022.

He put up 15 points in 16 postseason games that spring, helping the Avalanche capture their third Stanley Cup in franchise history.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Daniil Miromanov

The Calgary defender isn’t afraid to shoot the puck, in fact, his point blast led to the Flames’ only goal Thursday in L.A.

He’s settled in on a pairing with MacKenzie Weegar, and comes into Friday’s tilt with points in three of his past six games.

Miromanov, who played a career-high 25:01 in the last meeting against the Ducks, has not been a minus player in any of his last seven games.

Ducks - Alex Killorn

The 34-year-old comes into this evening’s fixture with three goals from his last four games, a total that included a two-tally effort at the ‘Dome April 2.

He’s been dependable for Anaheim in his first season with the club, sitting fourth among the team’s goal-scoring leaders, while also averaging a career-best 18:46 in ice time.

Five of Killorn’s 18 goals are game-winners, including the first of his two markers 10 days ago in Southern Alberta.