After 11 days on the road, the Calgary Flames (29-20-8) finally complete their six game road trip this evening when they visit Music City to face the Nashville Predators (34-12-9). The Flames have won three of their five games on the trip thus far, but are coming off a thoroughly flat performance against a very good Boston Bruins team on Tuesday. They’ll face another stiff test against the reigning Western Conference champions (and one of the top teams in the conference this season).
The game starts just after 6 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
Projected lines, courtesy of Daily Faceoff:
Gaudreau – Monahan (A) – Ferland
Tkachuk – Backlund (A) – Frolik
Bennett – Jankowski – Hathaway
Lomberg – Stajan – Lazar
Giordano (C) – Hamilton
Brodie – Hamonic
Kulak – Stone
David Rittich starts for the Flames. He’s 5-2-2 with a 2.41 goals against average and .923 save percentage. He’s backed up by Jon Gillies. The expected healthy scratches are Matt Bartkowski and Marek Hrivik.
The Flames’ special teams have struggled lately. The Flames have lost or merely broken even in the special teams battle in 15 of their last 18 games since Dec. 31. They’ve been incredibly reliant on their even strength scoring and as they play against better and better teams, it’s incredibly difficult to win that way. Blame whoever you want for the special teams gaffes – the coaches, the players or just dumb puck luck – they absolutely need to find some way to turn it around.
The Predators
Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:
Forsberg – Johansen – Arvidsson
Fiala – Turris – Smith
Hartnell – Bonino – Jarnkrok
Salomaki – Sissons – Watson
Josi – Ellis
Ekholm – Subban
Emelin – Weber
Pekka Rinne starts for Nashville. He’s 29-8-4 with a 2.31 goals against average and .927 save percentage. He’s backed up by Juuse Saros. The healthy scratches are expected to be Matt Irwin, Anthony Bitetto and Pontus Aberg.
The Predators are a group that finds ways to get points. They’ve gotten points out of every game they’ve played in dating back to a 2-1 regulation loss to Chicago way back on Jan. 30. Since then? They’re 5-0-2. They play a smart brand of hockey, utilizing speed, skill and positioning. They’re very much the same group the hockey world saw head to the Stanley Cup Final back in June. They’re a big test for a Flames team that isn’t playing their best hockey right now.
Injury Report
Flames: Daniel Pribyl (knee), Kris Versteeg (hip) and Troy Brouwer (facial fracture) are on the injured reserve. Mike Smith (lower-body) is hurt but on the active roster.
Nashville: The Predators are healthy.
When Last We Met
This is the third (and final) meeting between these teams this season. They’ve split the two meetings; the Flames winning 3-2 in a shootout in Nashville in October, but losing 2-0 in a shutout at home in December.
The Numbers
| CGY | NSH | |
| Wins | 29 | 34 |
| Points | 66 | 77 |
| Adjusted Corsi | 52.3% | 52.1% |
| Power Play | 16.6% | 22.8% |
| Penalty Kill | 79.5% | 82.5% |
Know Thy Enemy
Here’s a snapshot of Predators Twitter:
Sum It Up
It’s the final game of the road trip! A win means the Flames bring eight of a possible 12 points home. A loss means they limp home with a .500 road trip.
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Jankowski has had a good game even before the goal. His PK work is very good and his 200 foot game is impressive. Like all young players, he needs to learn how to bring it every night.
I’m seriously beginning to believe that Tkachuk is the best player on this team. Janko and Benny are getting points now because of him! It’s a minor miracle.
I know it is heresy but it might be time to break up the 3M and give the kids a chance. Not sure who is a good fit for Backlund and Frolik, but maybe Lazar could take a backlund bump,
The LW spot of Backlund and Frolik is the so-called apprentice position. Tkachuk is now the master on that line. Frolik could get swapped to the LW and Lazar on the right.
Lazar is fast enough, and plays a solid defensive game. But double shifting Tkachuk on lines 2 and 3 is obviously working very well, and GG needs to keep doing it.
Tic tac toe…..beautiful goal.
Bennett-Jankowski-Tkachuk
Hathaway-Backlund-Frolik
I like the above as our 2nd/3rd lines.
Maybe Lazar can shoot lol
Rittich reads the play so well…dude can play.
He may very well become our next “#1”. Games like this are a good “live classroom”, for Rittich.
I’ve seen enough of Rittich to want to lock him up long term. He’ll be the next starter for the Flames.
Starting to see the one man forecheck and two forwards back. Looking for that tie again.
The non-lazer, lazer!
Haha
Got tipped.
The LaserLazar
I like Lazer! He reminds me of a better Byron.
Great effort
Let’s not get carried away. He’s got 2 goals, and cost us a second. About time he started scoring.
Lazar!!!!!!
Lazar!!
Almost everything’s clicking.
Wow, Lazar with an insurance goal!
A few times they have used Benny: Janko / byng. That’s a line that could really have an impact. Love to see it some more
Lots were saying that but it was getting trashed. Welcome aboard
Let’s remmber Rittich is a rookie – less then 20 games – he’s going to make rookie mistakes – just hoping he redeems himself with the rest of this game
Agreed. Smith has over 500 career starts. Rittich has 8. When Rittich tries to play the puck like Smith does it’s obviously not going to go as good sometimes. Of course, Smith has been scored on on one of his own turnovers this season before. Rittich has got to use that as a learning opportunity. Gotta cover up, the players are way faster here than they are on the farm.
Brutal play by Rittich. Play within your abilities!
Yes. I doesn’t need to think he’s Mike Smith.
Ouch, back to a one goal game. Nashville came back from being down 3 – 0 vs St. Louis and won 4 – 3 in OT so Flames need to keep pushing.
Would love to see Calgary pop another and give them some breathing room.
To do that they need to play in the Nashville end. Since Lazar’s goal no shots on net.
Maybe shorten the bench and play for the win. Not for our coach.
Game six of a road trip. Not sure it’s the right time to shorten the bench. Short shifts, get the puck deep, no chances.
I don’t understand playing on your heels and chipping pucks back to them so they can attack us over and over again.
Didn’t realize that’s what they are doing. The Flames have played a good game tonight.
They do it every time they get a lead. It is the GG system.
Brian Burke looks like an angry tomatoe
Haha, I almost said that!
I’m telling you. It’s the booze. I’d put money on it he’s got a flask on em
Burke looks like he’s been suntanning too close to the sun.
It’s Burke’s double. He’s golfing. He was the closet person that they could find.
You’d know ?
I’m willing the clock to keep ticking down…
Another phantom call.
Looks like Rittich learned his lesson.
Hey look Gully, Predators taking a time out
It’s official…the refs think Wideman is Dougie Hamilton
That was a pretty animated “eff off” from general gel. Nice to see him show some emotion from time to time.