After their weakest effort in weeks against Dallas, the Calgary Flames (14-9-2, 30 points) are back at it as they host the Los Angeles Kings (9-15-1, 19 points) in a big divisional clash. The Pacific Division is, well, a garbage heap, and two points tonight could give the Flames breathing room at the top of that garbage heap.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm
Tkachuk – Backlund – Bennett
Czarnik – Ryan – Neal
Lomberg – Jankowski – Hathaway
Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Andersson
Kylington – Hamonic
Mike Smith starts for the Flames, backed up by David Rittich – Smith won his last start against Arizona and Rittich lost his last start against Dallas, so it makes sense. The healthy scratches appear to be Dalton Prout and Andrew Mangiapane, freshly recalled from Stockton.
The Flames weren’t good against Dallas. They were loose in the defensive zone (in a bad way) and really couldn’t generate much with their breakouts. It’s the type of “burn the tape” game that induced Bill Peters to mention post-game that they were fortunate to get a point. They’ll be better against the Kings, if only because in many aspects of their game “better” is the only direction they can go.
The biggest thing to improve? Their power play. They needed a lot more from them against Dallas and it could be huge in a game against a tired Kings team that lost 24 hours ago in Edmonton and will be trying to keep things tight-checking at even strength.
The Kings
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Iafallo – Kopitar – Brown
Clifford – Carter – Toffoli
Kovalchuk – Kempe – Luff
Wagner – Thompson – Rempal
Forbort – Doughty
Muzzin – Martinez
Phaneuf – Ladue
Since Jonathan Quick started in Edmonton, most likely backup Cal Petersen starts tonight. Last night’s healthy scratches were Oscar Fantenberg and Michael Amadio, and with Jon Rosen reporting that Ilya Kovalchuk is a no-go for tonight with an ankle injury we’ll likely see Amadio slot in. That’ll likely result in some shuffling of the bottom two forward lines.
The Kings are the worst team in the Pacific Garbage Patch. They have some serious issues with their roster construction and some cap problems, too. They played in Edmonton last night. This isn’t so much a game that the Flames should win as it is a game they need to win if they want to keep trending towards being a playoff team. Simply put: this is the type of game good teams find ways to win.
The Numbers
| CGY | LAK | |
| Wins | 14 | 9 |
| Points | 30 | 19 |
| Corsi Close | 55.0% | 48.4% |
| Power Play | 20.4% | 15.4% |
| Penalty Kill | 76.0% | 73.0% |
Injury Report
The Flames are without Juuso Valimaki, Michael Frolik and Michael Stone.
The Kings are without Gabe Vilardi, Jonny Brodzinski, Carl Hagelin, Jack Campbell and Trevor Lewis.
Season Series
This is the second of four meetings between the Flames and Kings this season. Calgary beat Los Angeles 1-0 back on Nov. 10 at Staples Center.
Know Thy Enemy
Your Kings Twitter follows for tonight:
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Flames dominate 18 of 20 mins of that period but just the one goal – these games always scare me
Hopefully we put two quick goals in at the start of the 2nd
Loved the first. The Kings can’t keep up with our speed and skill. Keep it up boys! GFG ?
Casey Campbell is way better than Rudy, she sucked last year but I dont mind her at all this year
I agree she dialed it back a bit , seems like rhudey just wants to constantly talk about goalies and how he used to be one .
Whys dube out
He was sent to the minors.
Fack missed that one , they brought up lomberg over Raichel or mangi
Ope just gotta read I guess
Mangi was recalled today.
Flames dominated the first but need the killer instinct to put the Kings away. Score two more goals this period and the games over. Go into the third in a one goal game and they’re giving the Kings life.
Its jankowski and the grinders !
Dube with Gadwin and Phillips.
What’s the score cheif
Heat down 1-0
Keep us updated
I think right now they are more playing the Kings’ style of game than a Flames style. Kings just clogging things up and hoping for an opportunistic goal to tie things up.
I hate being right
Time to wake up
Kings have taken flames speed advantage away and kempe alone in the slot
We need to play our game and take back control of this game
They also got the Smith advantage on that one
Another listless game … ?
Same old 2018 Smith. Sitting in his crease waiting for pucks to hit him. Shrugging like he didn’t have a chance.
Rittich better get a good long look this year as starter.
Smith has to go. What a joke as he swims around on his knees on the goal line for the Kings goal.
He’s been looking really shaky all game. Another thrown stick? Throwing his arms up on every shot he can’t see.
No kidding , throw me in bill I’ve only had 6 beer and could 100 percent save 6 shots
Totally – he is making what should be easy saves look incredibly difficult. I am so fed up with watching him
Get him a beer or 6 lol
Some terrible defensive lapses along with sloppy unhurried passing most of the 2nd period makes me feel the Kings will get another gifted goal. This game shouldn’t be close; but it is.
Flames making la look like an ahl team at times just can’t score
Somebody put the puck in the net
Flames look snakebit these are the kinds of games where a dominate PP puts inferior teams away time to shake it up put Neal out with JG on the PP and ?
Smith clearly lacking confidence….on his knees deep in his net!
Have some confidence in our team guys, LA has barly touched the puck this game. They’ve been clogging up the neutral zone and praying we don’t score, 3rd period is when we’ll put the boots to them.
Very hard to be the hunted not the hunter flames have struggled holding top spots in the pacific in the past couple seasons they seem to play with more fire in there belly when they are chasing teams in the standings Im hoping this year is different and they start showing some killer instinct
The Ducks are temporarily 1st in the Pacific. Huh.
You mean gibson
As it stands, anything less than a regulation win is on Smith and his leaky game. Looked shaky throughout.
Well if the Flames are done playing a GG Style Corsi-capades like they did in the Second, there still may be a chance to win this in regulation~! 1)Crash/Drive the net. 2)Get someone in front of the Kings Net~! 3)Get the D shooting a few from the point! 4) Pass Pass Pass turnover isn’t working unless your a King! Less highlight reel attempts and more plain old Hard Hat Hockey please!
Rittich is 8 2 and 1 …. why keep trying to get Smith going , ride rittich and if he falters for a game or two give smith a chance , he hasn’t earned any playing time
Watched the first 2 periods of CAR against ANA, which much like this games was dominated by CAR, but was only 1-0, just checked the score and Ducks ended up winning in OT. Hope the Flames don’t fall in that same trap.
ANA and LA are such boring teams to watch these days, would hate to watch a game between these 2 teams.
I watched that game and I said Carolina looks like a decent team, they have been on a roll since as well.
Did Ferlund score that wicked one timer in that game?
At the Game tonight…
1. The Kings are trying to play a style from a bygone era.
2. It was Classy of the Flames to recognize ‘Neon Dion’ for him 1000th game in the NHL; mix of Cheers and Jeers from the crowd.
3. If you don’t start scoring on the PP soon, other teams will continue to take liberties with our best players
4. We’re a third period team.
In other news, I’m going to be joining Mr. Martin Gelinas (“Gelly”) for his post game interview at the Hot Stove Lounge, plugging our Movember team (Gelly’s on our team!!!) Doctors without Razors! I’m hoping he gives us a plug to raise awareness for Men’s Mental Health, Suicide Prevention as well as Prostate and Testicular Cancer. Check us out on Movember.com, team “Doctors without Razors”. See if you can also spot the Baseball LEGEND who’s neck and neck in fundraising with Gelly on our Moustache Money raising team. We’re 5th in the Country with ~77 K raised, but we’re gunning for #1. Wish us Luck!
See if you can convince him to do something about Sam’s ‘stache. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of an enemy like an 80’s porn star ‘stache. Not.
Daaaaamn librarian cassie looks good
All this apparent depth and we have Ryan Lomberg playing?! He would clear waivers tomorrow. The guy can’t make a simple pass. Wtf
Its easy to crap on an AHL lifer but like they said flames are last in the NHL in hits and and tell you what noticed Lomberg smashing bodies more then I noticed Neal