Flames at Coyotes preview

FLAMES (13-9-1) at COYOTES (9-10-2)
3 p.m. ET; SN, FS-A, NHL.TV

Calgary scored 17 goals during a three-game winning streak before losing 2-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
The Coyotes have lost eight of 10 (2-6-2) since winning five in a row and have scored two goals or fewer in six of their past seven games. They are 1-2-1 during a five-game homestand.
Flames goaltender Mike Smith, who is expected to start, is 4-3-0 with a 2.27 goals-against average in eight games against the Coyotes. Smith played for the Coyotes from 2011-17.

Players to watch

Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk has five goals in his past five games and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games against the Coyotes.
Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta is 5-1-1 with a 2.79 goals-against average in eight games against the Flames. He made 34 saves Friday in a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche after being out eight games with a lower-body injury.

They said it

"We haven't talked about it (scratching him from the lineup). We think he's trending in the right direction. We think our team is going on the right direction and he is going in the right direction." -- Flames coach Bill Peters on forward James Neal, who doesn't have a goal in nine games
"Dangerous team. If you mismanage the puck, you've got odd-man rushes against you and you're flirting with fire. You've got to manage the puck, you've got to play the right way. They've got guys who can go to the net from anywhere and score. They're a dangerous team." -- Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet

Flames projected lineup

Johnny Gaudreau -- Sean Monahan -- Elias Lindholm
Matthew Tkachuk -- Mikael Backlund -- Sam Bennett
Austin Czarnik -- Derek Ryan -- James Neal
Dillon Dube -- Mark Jankowski -- Garnet Hathaway
Mark Giordano -- TJ Brodie
Oliver Kylington
-- Travis Hamonic
Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson
Mike Smith
David Rittich
Scratched: Dalton Prout, Ryan Lomberg
Injured: Michael Stone (blood clot), Michael Frolik (lower body), Juuso Valimaki (foot)

Coyotes projected lineup

Richard Panik -- Derek Stepan -- Clayton Keller
Lawson Crouse -- Alex Galchenyuk -- Christian Fischer
Michael Grabner -- Brad Richardson -- Vinnie Hinostroza
Brendan Perlini -- Dylan Strome -- Josh Archibald
Oliver Ekman-Larsson -- Niklas Hjalmarsson
Jakob Chychrun -- Alex Goligoski
Kevin Connauton -- Jordan Oesterle
Antti Raanta
Adin Hill
Scratched: Nick Cousins, Ilya Lyubushkin
Injured: Jason Demers (lower body), Christian Dvorak (upper body), Darcy Kuemper (lower body)

Status report

Valimaki did not practice Saturday and is a game-time decision. ... Neal didn't take part in line rushes during practice Saturday, but Peters said he won't be scratched. ... Kuemper is day to day. The Coyotes recalled Hill from Tucson of the American Hockey League.

Stat pack

Keller has no goals in 11 games after scoring five goals in the prior five games. ... Lindholm has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past 13 games. ... Gaudreau has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past four games. ... Neal needs one point for 500 in the NHL. ... Calgary is 8-4-0 in its past 12 games.