The Calgary Flames (10-6-1, 21 points) have shown flashes of brilliance through the first 20% of this season. Tonight, we may discover if they’re actually a good hockey team when they face arguably the top Pacific Division squad, the San Jose Sharks (8-6-3, 19 points) in the second half of a back-to-back.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. MT on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm
Tkachuk – Backlund – Neal
Bennett – Ryan – Frolik
Hathaway – Jankowski – Czarnik
Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Hamonic
Valimaki – Stone
Mike Smith makes the start, backed up by David Rittich. The healthy scratches look to be Anthony Peluso, Rasmus Andersson and Dalton Prout, with Michael Stone swapping in for Andersson (per Derek Wills). It’s a big game for Smith, who hasn’t been overly sharp during the last few weeks while Rittich has been the sharpest we’ve ever seen him.
This game is what’s known as a “schedule loss,” in that the Sharks have been waiting for the Flames while they’ve traveled. But the Sharks haven’t been overly great lately and the Flames have been playing some of their best hockey of the season.
All season, our staff Slack chat has had a consistent question pop up: “Are these guys actually good?” We’ve seen the Flames play really good hockey on and off over the last three seasons, but the consistency just hasn’t been there – especially in situations like this, playing divisional rivals at the end of road trips. This is the type of game good teams, teams with the intentions of making noise in the post-season, find a way to win. Almost as much as their response to the 9-1 Pittsburgh shellacking eight games ago, this game will tell us a whole lot about the 2018-19 Flames.
The Sharks
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Kane – Pavelski – Donskoi
Meier – Couture – Hertl
Sorensen – Thornton – LaBanc
Suomela – Suomela – M.Karlsson
Ryan – Burns
Dillon – E.Karlsson
Vlasic – Braun
Martin Jones starts, backed up by Aaron Dell. The extras look to be Rourke Chartier, Radim Simek and Tim Heed. It sounds like Tomas Hertl returns after missing a few games due to injury.
The Sharks have been idle since a back-to-back set of road games on Thursday and Friday that saw them lose to Dallas (4-3 on Thursday) and St. Louis (4-0 on Friday). Their defensive game hasn’t been amazing and, thus far, they haven’t gelled the way you’d hope a team with as many strong players would. But the Sharks are a proud group and they’ll know the importance of a strong showing against a divisional rival, so expect them to come out of the gates with a lot of gusto tonight.
The Numbers
| CGY | SJS | |
| Wins | 10 | 8 |
| Points | 21 | 19 |
| Corsi Close | 54.7% | 57.5% |
| Power Play | 17.2% | 18.5% |
| Penalty Kill | 75.0% | 87.7% |
Injury Report
The Flames are without Dillon Dube, who’s working through the concussion protocol.
The Sharks are healthy.
Season Series
This is the first of four meetings between these two clubs this season. The next time they’ll meet is New Year’s Eve in Calgary.
Know Thy Enemy
Your Sharks Twitter follows for tonight:
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Ladies and gentlemen, this highest draft pick in Flamea history… bottom sixer Sam “Bust” Bennett.
Jonny monny Lindholm
Chucky backs benny
Mangy janks nealer
Fro yo Ryan/czar hath
Pardon the nicknames
I think Cassie wants to have Smith’s children
How many games in can we say that neal, ryan and czar are officially all garbage? I remember a few guys saying 10 games. Some 20. 20 is coming quickly.
Smith keeping them in the game
So far the Ufa’s are not contributing much almost 10 mill,20% way though season not much for point totals between then .
Bennett had a chance. Twicd. Backlund again missed an empty net. Refs suck but blame the flames in the end.
There’s way too much loyalty in putting Smith in, Rittich has been the better of the two so you go with the hot hand until Rittch falters. Smith hasn’t done anything to deserve to be in there. Also the back to back is a moot point as Rittich wasn’t overly tested last night.
Absolutely agree. The one trash has to be Smiths mom because he in no way deserves this start.
RKD there is no doubt in my mind this is the last straw for smith. Very heavy straw I might add he falters in this one he won’t see the net for a while as long as Rittich plays well.
Agreed with Kelly Hrudy last night, Riddich hasn’t been over worked, let Smith get more practice time. Go with Rittich.
I dont know what’s more frustrating.. watching smith start and always letting a goal in within the first few shots or the coach letting him start when he’s clearly not good enough anymore
They are trying stupid hard on sportsnet to hype Smith up
The constant bashing isn’t helping either.
How about we let the game play out before we jump to conclusions?
Wonder how much the announcers get as a bonus each time they pump up Smith
This game has been brought to you, in part, by The Committee to Re-elect Mike Smith Man of the Year
He’s played well tonight. I know that’s unpopular with some of you.
Its about time he plays well. His .872 is almost worst in the whole league. Nobody here is rooting for him to be the worst in the league.
Brouwer with his third today – tied with Backlund and Neal for goals….
Can Smith make any saves?
sooooo when can we give up on smith??
BT’s buddy from Arizona so when BT is gone so to will be Smith
Anybody else think Evander Kane is a piece of garbage
The Jets 3rd Jersey’s are nice!
Back to PeeWee hockey Bennett.
Backlund really screwed it. Cost us the game. How many empty nets/grade A chances has this guy missed this year?? Damn…..
At least the Oilers are losing 4-0
Does that make anyone feel better?
4-1. But yes!
Damn I jinxed it..
Stop your damn complaining. We got good goaltending..we score lots of goals.. this will continue throughout the year and eventually goal scoring and goaltending will line up. Sheesh
I do agree with the reffing being bad, but also it’s in the past already.. we cant get our Stanley cup back from 04 and we cant get this game back either….on to the next game. Gfg
Queue the Rittich vs Smith debate
I’ll start it. There’s not much debate. If Smith put up the goose egg to start a back to back, he would undoubtedly start game 2. And gut feeling is he’d not accept any other scenario from the coaches. Fair is fair, Rittich deserves the start.
What’s the over/under on how many goals Smith gives up in the first period?
4
2
1
2.5
TBird, I hope you win, cuz I wanna see that. 😀
The Karlsson trade has been a complete bust so far, 15GP 0G 7A and a -8. He’s not the captain there and definitely doens’t seem to be a fit unless he can turn things around. Wilson gave up: Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo,Josh Norris, Rūdolfs Balcers, First-round pick (2019 or 2020), Second-round pick (2019),Conditional second-round pick (2021),Conditional first-round pick (no later than 2022) for a guy who can leave on July 1st, 2019.
All sudden Hamonic trade looks good !
A bust? It’s still early. I’d take Karlsson over the pieces they gave up.
That’s why i said so far it is early.
I genuinely hope it is a bust. Karlsson is too good a player to be in a slump for long. If he walks, not only do the Sharks lose a very good player, but everything they gave Ottawa will be for naught. I hope he signs somewhere in the east. Maybe Tampa Bay this time
It would be pretty damn hilarious if he walked back to Ottawa. He said the family really loved Ottawa. IMO Karlsson hasn’t been the same since his injury last season. Yes, we all hope he goes down east!