FGD 22: Clash of the titans (8pm MT, SN West)

Folks, clear your schedules for this evening. The Calgary Flames (12-8-1, 25 points) are hosting the Winnipeg Jets (12-5-2, 26 points) in a game that pits one of the top Pacific Division teams against one of the very best from the Central Division. If there’s a game that will determine how good the Flames really are, it’s this one.

The puck drops at 8 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan. It’s a national game and the second half of a double-header that begins with Toronto facing Carolina.

Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:

David Rittich starts for the Flames, backed up by Mike Smith. The projected scratches are Michael Stone and Anthony Peluso, while Dalton Prout is in Stockton on a conditioning stint (but takes up a roster spot here).

The Flames are 5-3-0 in November and ever since their 9-1 drubbing by Pittsburgh last month have played pretty dang good hockey. They’re not perfect, mind you – defensive zone play is still not terribly consistent and they’re reliant on late pushes – but they’re a formidable team because of their depth.

This game will be a big test of their depth and their attention to detail, as the Jets are a damn fine hockey club and probably the best team in the Western Conference over the past few seasons.

Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:

Connor Hellebuyck starts for Winnipeg, backed up by 2011 Flames draft pick Laurent Brossoit. The projected scratches are Brendan Lemieux and Sami Niku.

The Jets are a deep, fast, talented team who have gone 5-1-1 in November so far. Keep an eye on line matching tonight. In theory, Monahan’s line faces Scheifele’s and Backlund gets the Laine trio (though those could swap), so the game could hinge on whether the Flames’ bottom-six can beat Winnipeg’s.

The Flames are healthy.

The Jets are without Dmitry Kulikov.

This is the first of three games between the Flames and Jets. They’ll play twice more this season, both times in Winnipeg.

Your Jets Twitter follows for tonight:

From peewee to the pros, Albertans love the atmosphere, energy, and life lessons that take place at rinks across the province. And where there’s an arena, you’ll find an ATB branch nearby—with our team members cheering and fundraising along with you. See more information at ATB.com.