"We have a really nice stretch at home with five important games and we have to grab those points," forward Tobias Rieder said. "Calgary is a hard-working team that's not going to give up on anything. They will battle and we have to be ready for that. The team that wins the little battles will win the game."
Mike Smith will start in goal vs. the Flames, who have beaten Arizona twice this season by a score of 2-1 both times.
The Coyotes will enter the game leading the NHL with a 93.3 penalty kill percentage at home. They've given up just three power-play goals all season in Glendale, and just one at home since they hosted Nashville on Nov. 3.
Forward Radim Vrbata leads the Coyotes in goals (eight), assists (12) and points (20), but he has notched just three points (all assists) in the past eight games.
Captain Shane Doan needs to score one goal to reach career goal No. 400. Only 92 NHL players have accomplished that feat.
Defenseman Michael Stone will be back in the lineup and play his 300th NHL game.
Rookie Lawson Crouse, who began the season as the left wing on the fourth line, will play left wing on the top line vs. Calgary.
"Crouse is a hard guy to play against," Head Coach Dave Tippett said. "He finishes checks. He's hard on puck battles. He's a guy that has earned his minutes. He continues to grow as a player. There's going to be ups and downs with him as a young player, but he continues to show he's going to be a very good NHL player."
Rookie Brendan Perlini, who notched points in back-to-back games, will be a healthy scratch.
"He has to play the game fast," Tippett said. "Puck battles along the walls, making good decisions, those are things he needs to work on."
