The set-up: The 8-11-7 Philadelphia Flyers are opening a three-game trek through Western Canada Monday against the Calgary Flames and things can't get worse. The Flyers haven't won since topping Chicago 3-1 on Nov. 9 but after earning a point in five of six contests (0-1-5), have lost four in a row to fall to 0-5-5 in their last 10 games. The 14-11-1 Calgary Flames are looking to break even on their four-game homestand, after falling to 1-2-0 with Saturday's 7-5 loss to Edmonton.

Philadelphia: Saturday's 3-0 home setback against Boston has matched the slide the team had from Dec. 2-27, 2006 (0-9-1) and equaled from Feb. 6-23, 2008 (0-8-2). Philadelphia has been shut out six times overall this season and three times during its current skid, which began with back-to-back blankings against Minnesota. The Flyers are now averaging just 2.69 goals-per-game, to rank 27th in the league. "We're just squeezing our sticks," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said Saturday after Philadelphia's sixth shutout loss of the season. "We just need that first win so we can have a breather. It's not a good time right now. We need to figure it out and figure it out soon.

Calgary: Johnny Gaudreau tops Calgary with 36 points but endured a three-game drought before notching a goal and an assist against the Oilers on Saturday. The 24-year-old from New Jersey has netted 12 tallies in 26 games this season after registering only 18 over 72 contests in 2016-17. Sean Monahan has scored a team-leading 14 goals but has gone four games without one, after recording six over his previous four contests.

The pick: Getting away from home (under the circumstances) is probably a good thing for the Flyers but I want no part of this slumping team which hasn't won in 10 straight outings and comes off back-to-back home losses in which it has scored a total of just one goal. Calgary's 'no prize' but Ferland (11) joins Monahan and Gaudreau with double digits in goals plus goalie Mike Smith (2.68 GAA & .920 SP) is more than adequate. Make Calgary an 8* play.