Glendale, Ariz. — Mike Smith’s return to Gila River Arena is the warm-and-fuzzy storyline.
The Calgary Flames goaltender, understandably, just wants to return to the win column.
The Flames, fast fading from playoff contention, will be aiming to rebound in Monday’s matchup against Smith’s former employers — the cellar-dwelling Arizona Coyotes.
“Everybody understands where we are in the standings,” Smith said after Monday’s pre-game meeting in Arizona. “We just need to come together as a group now and start playing with some desperation in our game.
“That’s what we expect here tonight — to play a desperate game against a team that has played really good hockey as of late. We need to bring our best tonight and do it for a full 60 minutes.”
Smith certainly won’t be lacking motivation.
The 35-year-old starred for the Coyotes for six seasons before being traded north to Calgary last June.
He racked up 128 wins on behalf of the Desert Dogs. On Monday, he’ll be gunning for his fifth victory against them.
“I spent six years here, so I think I’m fairly comfortable in this building,” Smith said prior to his homecoming game. “Obviously it’s different on the other side now, but a lot of good memories in this building and in the valley here in Arizona.
“But that stuff all aside, it’s important just to get two points tonight and look after what we can control and just keep going about our business. Getting back on track is really important for us tonight.”
The Flames were shelled Sunday by the home-standing Vegas Golden Knights, a 4-0 shutout loss that leaves the crew from Calgary four points out of the final wildcard berth and six back of third place in the Pacific Division.
They’ll stick with Smith after he allowed four goals on 31 shots in Sin City, but there are several changes elsewhere throughout the lineup.
Rasmus Andersson was recalled from the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat and will sub for an injured TJ Brodie on the blue-line. Meanwhile, Sam Bennett has been bumped back to the top line and Chris Stewart will be plugged onto the third unit.
“It’s the call-up I’ve been waiting for all year, so it feels good,” said the 21-year-old Andersson, an AHL all-star this winter. “I feel confident, so I’m excited. I’m excited for tonight.”
Calgary Flames at Arizona Coyotes
8 p.m. MT, Gila River Arena, TV: Sportsnet West, Radio: Sportsnet 960 The Fan
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THE BIG MATCHUP
Flames G Mike Smith vs. Coyotes D Oliver Ekman-Larsson
You typically turn to your back-up netminder on the second half of a back-to-back set, but you know Smith will be campaigning for Monday’s start against his former team. The 35-year-old was the go-to goalie in Arizona for six seasons before being traded to Calgary this past summer. On a trip to Gila River Arena last month, he was stuck spectating due a groin injury. If Smith is between the pipes against his old pals, he will be trying to prevent Ekman-Larsson from joining an exclusive club. With his next marker, the 26-year-old stud will become just the sixth Swedish defenceman to notch 100 goals at the NHL level. Already on that list? Nicklas Lidstrom, Borje Salming, Fredrik Olausson, Erik Karlsson and Calle Johansson.
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FIVE STORYLINES
1. SMOKED IN SIN CITY
The Flames were thumped Sunday by the Vegas Golden Knights, and the 4-0 score-line wasn’t the only bad news. Second-pairing blue-liner TJ Brodie was steamrolled by Ryan Reaves on a clean hit early in the second and would eventually depart due to an upper-body injury. Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan didn’t have an update on Brodie’s health during his post-game presser. If No. 7 isn’t available against the Coyotes, Matt Bartkowski would likely draw in.
2. COYOTES KILLER
Flames third-line centre Mark Jankowski certainly seems to enjoy his dates with the Desert Dogs. The 23-year-old rookie has scored 13 times so far this season, with three of those lamp-lightings against the Coyotes. Jankowski potted a pair, including his first big-league game-winner, in a 3-0 triumph at the Saddledome in late November, then sniped a shortie when Calgary’s crew celebrated a 5-2 win in Arizona last month.
3. RED-HOT ROOKIE
Coyotes fab freshman Clayton Keller buried on a breakaway in Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to the Minnesota Wild. The 19-year-old whiz now has 20 goals and 32 assists on the season. He needs two more tallies — and two more points, period — to equal the most productive campaign by a rookie since the Coyotes arrived in Valley of the Sun. Peter Mueller debuted with 22 goals and 54 points during the winter of 2007-08.
4. FOX WATCH
After the Harvard Crimson failed to earn an invite to the 2018 NCAA Hockey Championship, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Flames are preparing a contract offer for defence prospect Adam Fox, their third-round selection from the 2016 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old Fox just completed his sophomore season, piling up 28 points — six goals and 22 helpers — in 29 collegiate clashes and being feted as a first-team conference all-star.
5. THIS N’ THAT
Despite back-to-back losses and the NHL’s lowest-scoring attack, the Desert Dogs have posted an 11-5-2 mark in their past 18 outings … The Flames are riding a four-game winning streak at Gila River Arena … Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet will miss Monday’s matchup to attend the funeral for his mother, Norma. In his absence, assistant coach John MacLean will run the home bench.
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FLAMES GAMEDAY LINES
Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland
Troy Brouwer-Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik
Sam Bennett-Mark Jankowski- Kris Versteeg
Curtis Lazar-Matt Stajan-Garnet Hathaway
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton
TJ Brodie-Travis Hamonic
Brett Kulak-Michael Stone
GOALIES
Mike Smith
David Rittich
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COYOTES GAMEDAY LINES
Richard Panik-Derek Stepan-Clayton Keller
Max Domi-Christian Dvorak-Brendan Perlini
Jordan Martinook-Brad Richardson-Nick Cousins
Zac Rinaldo-Josh Archibald-Christian Fischer
DEFENCE PAIRINGS
Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Jason Demers
Jakob Chychrun-Alex Goligoski
Kevin Connauton-Niklas Hjalmarsson
GOALIES
Antti Raanta
Darcy Kuemper
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SPECIAL TEAMS
POWER PLAY (prior to Sunday’s action)
FLAMES: 17.3% (25th)
COYOTES: 16.4% (27th)
PENALTY KILL (prior to Sunday’s action)
FLAMES: 81.5% (12th)
COYOTES: 80.0% (18th)
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SICK BAY
FLAMES
D TJ Brodie (upper body), C/LW Marek Hrivik (upper body), LW Matthew Tkachuk (upper body)
COYOTES
C Laurent Dauphin (lower body)