(Sports Network) - The Florida Panthers have been rolling with Craig Anderson in net. They will try to turn that momentum into their first win against the Calgary Flames in over six years, as the two teams meet tonight at Pengrowth Saddledome.
The Panthers have won two straight and five of their last six games. Anderson has been in net for all six of those games, posting a 1.70 goals against average and two shutouts in that span.
Anderson's second blanking came on Thursday, a 2-0 win over Edmonton in which he made 41 saves. It was his seventh career shutout.
Stephen Weiss lit the lamp and Radek Dvorak added an empty-net tally for the Panthers, who haven't beaten the Flames since a home victory on November 9, 2002, losing three straight to them since.
Anderson is 0-2-0 with a 2.41 goals against average in three games (2 starts) lifetime against Calgary, while former No. 1 Tomas Vokoun is 11-3-1 with three ties and a 1.97 GAA in 20 games against them.
The Panthers still remain shorthanded on the ice, as David Booth (shoulder), Cory Stillman (post-concussion), Nathan Horton (laceration), Richard Zednik (elbow) and Cory Murphy (shoulder) were all able to practice on Wednesday, but none played in Thursday's game.
The Panthers have won four straight on the road and play the third portion of a five-game swing tonight. They are 7-8-1 as the visiting team this year.
The Flames, meanwhile, return home after a four-game road trip that saw them go 2-1-1. After winning the first two games of the swing, they lost tests in Montreal and Detroit. Calgary has yet to lose three straight games this season.
Versus the Red Wings on Wednesday, Nicklas Lidstrom's goal with 1:10 left in overtime sent Detroit past Calgary, 4-3.
Craig Conroy, Daymond Langkow and David Moss scored for the Flames, who have also won three in a row at home versus the Panthers, having not lost to them in Calgary since November 6, 1999.
Making just his second start and third appearance of the season, Curtis McElhinney suffered the defeat despite stopping 35 shots.
Starter Miikka Kiprusoff has made 27 starts, going 16-10-1 with a 2.93 GAA and three shutouts. He has won both of his career starts versus Florida, stopping 60-of-61 shots faced.
The Flames, one point back of idle Vancouver for first place in the Northwest Division, will try to improve on their 9-4-1 home mark tonight before again hitting the road for two straight.
