FGD 2: Opening the home schedule against Anaheim (7:30pm MT, SN Flames/West)
By Ryan Pike
2 years agoFor the first time since March 2020, the Calgary Flames will be playing a regular season game at the Saddledome in front of fans. The ‘Dome will be the site of tonight’s home opener, as the Flames (0-1-0, 0 points) attempt to bounce back to .500 when they host the Anaheim Ducks (1-1-0, 2 points) in a Pacific Division clash!.
The puck drops a little bit after 7:30 p.m. MT and you can catch the action on television via Sportsnet Flames (with Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey) or on radio via Sportsnet 960 The Fan (with Derek Wills and Peter Loubardias). The game starts on Sportsnet Flames, then is joined in progress on Sportsnet West.
The Flames
Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:
Gaudreau – Lindholm – Tkachuk
Dube – Monahan – Mangiapane
Lucic – Backlund – Coleman
Ritchie – Gawdin – Lewis
Dube – Monahan – Mangiapane
Lucic – Backlund – Coleman
Ritchie – Gawdin – Lewis
Hanifin – Andersson
Zadorov – Tanev
Valimaki – Gudbranson
Zadorov – Tanev
Valimaki – Gudbranson
Jacob Markstrom starts for the Flames, backed up by Dan Vladar. Blake Coleman makes his Flames debut after serving a suspension on Saturday night, and he’ll bump Oliver Kylington to the press box. Michael Stone is the other healthy extra body, though Brad Richardson and Tyler Pitlick (unavailable due to injury) skated with the game group this morning per reports from the rink.
Coleman was the shiny new toy the Flames acquired this off-season, bringing with him two Stanley Cup rings from each of the past two seasons. He’ll start out on the third line with Mikael Backlund, which immediately makes them a fun-sounding duo (and Milan Lucic’s physicality could make that trio fun to watch). Via Hockey Reference, Coleman will be the 568th different skater to play for the Flames in a regular season game.
The Ducks
Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:
Henrique – Zegras – Rakell
Comtois – Getzlaf – Jones
McTavish – Lundestrom – Silfverberg
Deslauriers – Groulx – Grant
Comtois – Getzlaf – Jones
McTavish – Lundestrom – Silfverberg
Deslauriers – Groulx – Grant
Lindholm – Drysdale
Fowler – Manson
Mahura – Shattenkirk
Fowler – Manson
Mahura – Shattenkirk
John Gibson starts for the Ducks, backed up by Anthony Stolarz. The healthy scratches appear to be Simon Benoit and Sam Steel, while Troy Terry is working back from a minor injury and is on the trip.
The Ducks are a team that’s rebuilding and expectations are low in the O.C. this season. That said, they’re a scrappy bunch who have a lot of really interesting young pieces on their roster – Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale prime among them – and the degree to which the Ducks can produce some upset victories will be based on how well they can manage the development of those youngsters this season.
If you’re wondering where former Flames head coach Geoff Ward got off to, he’s an assistant coach with the Ducks now.
The numbers
| Calgary | Anaheim | |
| Wins | 1 | 1 |
| Points (%) | 0 (.000) | 2 (.500) |
| Adjusted Corsi For | 60.3% | 36.6% |
| Expected Goals For | 60.0% | 31.6% |
| Power Play | 25.0% | 33.3% |
| Penalty Kill | 50.0% | 90.0% |
Unfit to play
The Flames are without Brad Richardson (injury) and Tyler Pitlick (injury).
The Ducks are without Troy Terry (injury).
When last we met
This is the first of four scheduled meetings between the Flames and Ducks this season. They last met in February 2020 in the Saddledome: the Flames won 6-4, their third win over the Ducks in that truncated season.
Know thy enemy
Your recommended Twitter follows for tonight’s contest:
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