Calgary Flames Game Day 48: Here’s Johnny! (And the rest of the Blue Jackets!) (7pm MT)

It’s a battle at the Saddledome on Thursday night between two teams that sure would like to get a win. The Calgary Flames (21-21-5, 47 points) have lost three in a row. The visiting Columbus Blue Jackets (14-23-9, 37 points) have won once in their last six games. The Blue Jackets are destined for a lottery pick. The Flames sure would like to hang around in the playoff picture. Can they end their losing skid?

The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan. The Flames opened as -200 favourites against the Blue Jackets on Betway.

Projected lines courtesy Daily Faceoff:

Huberdeau – Lindholm – Sharangovich
Zary – Kadri – Coronato
Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman
Greer – Schwindt – Klapka

Hanifin – Tanev
Andersson – Weegar
Kylington – Oesterle

We’re projecting Jacob Markstrom to start in net, backed up by Dan Vladar. The projected extras appear to be Dennis Gilbert and Walker Duehr. While as of this writing he hasn’t been activated from the long-term injury reserve yet, expectations are that Oliver Kylington will return to action against Columbus.

The Flames have lost three games in a row. They looked pretty good in all three losses – to Toronto, Edmonton and St. Louis – but found way to lose. The big culprit? Poor puck management at key times, particularly way too many neutral zone turnovers and odd-man rushes. If the Flames can tidy up that part of their game, they could find themselves back on the positive side of the .500 mark.

Yegor Sharangovich has nine goals in 2024. Yes, already. Keep an eye on him against the Jackets.

Projected lines courtesy Daily Faceoff:

Gaudreau – Sillinger – Chinakhov
Fantilli – Jenner – Roslovic
Johnson – Voronkov – Marchenko
Texier – Kuraly – Danforth

Werenski – Boqvist
Provorov – Severson
Bean – Gudbranson

We’re projecting Daniil Tarasov to start in net, backed up by Elvis Merzlikins. The extra skaters are projected to be Andrew Peeke, Emil Bemstrom and Mathieu Olivier. Zach Werenski returns after missing some time with an injury.

The Blue Jackets have won once in their past six games, going 1-4-1. They haven’t scored a ton. And in games where they do score a decent amount, it usually involves them playing a run-and-gun game that involves them giving up quite a few good chances, too. It’s been a long year in Ohio, and it’s not close to over yet.

It’s Johnny Gaudreau’s second time back in Calgary after leaving as a free agent in 2022. The Flames are the only NHL team he hasn’t score a goal against in his career.

The Flames are without Dillon Dube and Martin Pospisil.

The Blue Jackets are without Patrik Laine.

This is the conclusion of their two game season series. The Flames lost to the Blue Jackets in Columbus in October.