NHL Preview: Calgary vs. Vancouver in Key Northwest Division Battle

Calgary Flames (2.80) at Vancouver Canucks (1.45)

The Calgary Flames are in desperation mode as they look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Vancouver Canucks couldn’t be farther from them.

Tonight at Rogers Arena, the Canucks — first in the Northwest Division and first overall in the NHL — will take on their divisional rivals Calgary, currently languishing in 14th place in the Western Conference.

It’s been a topsy-turvy last few days in Calgary. Following the dismissal/resigning of GM Darryl Sutter, the Flames put together a four-game winning streak and looked to have turned something of a corner in keeping their playoff hopes alive. But all that good fortune went kaput on Tuesday as the Flames lost at home to the lowly New York Islanders, 5-2. The lone bright spot on the evening for Calgary was the play of fourth-liner David Moss — he finished with two goals. Along with fellow fourth-liners Tom Kostopolous and Tim Jackman, the trio have been on fire lately for Calgary, scoring seven times in the last three games combined.

But that’s where the production stops for the Calgary forwards. The Rene Bourque-Brendan Morrison-Curtis Glencross line has gone stone cold, having failed to score since the middle of December. As a result, prospect Michael Backlund has been called up from Calgary’s AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, and will likely replace either Morrison or Glencross on the line.

For Vancouver, no similar worries when it comes to production. After finishing 2009-10 as the second-highest scoring team in the NHL, the Canucks have done one better this year, averaging 3.47 goals per game for first place in the league. As per usual, the team is being led offensively by Daniel and Henrik Sedin, but has received some timely goalscoring from a pair of inexpensive free agent acquisitions. Raffi Torres (who signed this summer for $1 million) and Jeff Tambellini ($600,000) have combined for 20 goals already, emerging as the third- and fourth-leading goalscorers on the team. This has been a blessing in disguise for Vancouver, who — heading into the season — needed to make up for the missing offense of Pavol Demitra, Kyle Wellwood and Steve Bernier.

Goalscoring isn’t just the only thing Vancouver has done well as of late — the goaltending has been outstanding as well. As a result, G Roberto Luongo was named the NHL’s second star for the month of December. Luongo posted a record of 8-1-1 with a 2.07 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout in 10 starts, backstopping the Canucks to the League’s top record in December (11-1-2). Luongo allowed two goals or fewer seven times, highlighted by 32 saves in a 3-0 victory at Chicago Dec. 3 for his 53rd career NHL shutout.