FGD 33: Looking for revenge in the desert (7pm MT, SN West)
By Ryan Pike
4 years agoWinners of five games in a row, the Calgary Flames (16-12-4, 36 points) are playing their best hockey of the season. They’re looking for a measure of revenge tonight in Glendale when they face the Arizona Coyotes (18-10-4, 40 points), a team that thumped them roughly a month ago.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Tkachuk – Lindholm – Mangiapane
Monahan – Backlund – Dube
Lucic – Ryan – Gaudreau
Rieder – Jankowski – Frolik
Monahan – Backlund – Dube
Lucic – Ryan – Gaudreau
Rieder – Jankowski – Frolik
Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Hamonic
Kylington – Andersson
Hanifin – Hamonic
Kylington – Andersson
The Flames don’t skate today given it’s a back-to-back situation, so most of this is hearsay, conjecture, and guesswork. Cam Talbot will likely start, backed up by David Rittich. The expected scratches are Michael Stone and Zac Rinaldo.
The locals have points in seven straight games and the catalyst for things seems to be a combination of well-structured defensive zone play… and Dillon Dube. Since Dube’s recall, the Flames have managed to get three pretty balanced forward lines going and that’s made them a pretty formidable team. If they can stay within their structure and keep playing a composed, mature game, they’ll give themselves a chance for two points.
The Coyotes
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Garland – Dvorak – Schmaltz
Crouse – Soderberg – Kessel
Keller – Stepan – Hinostroza
Grabner – Richardson – Fischer
Crouse – Soderberg – Kessel
Keller – Stepan – Hinostroza
Grabner – Richardson – Fischer
Ekman-Larsson – Demers
Chychrun – Goligoski
Oesterle – Lyubushkin
Chychrun – Goligoski
Oesterle – Lyubushkin
Darcy Kuemper starts for the Coyotes, backed up by Antti Raanta. Robbie Russo was summoned from Tucson yesterday, so it’s possible he slots in for somebody that’s dealing with a minor malady. Barrett Hayton is the other potential scratch for Arizona.
The Coyotes have been a pleasant surprise this season. They play a structured, often suffocating, defensive style – referred to by some scouts as “New York Islanders West.” They have speed and skill, with the only real weakness being blueline depth. But the ‘Yotes get strong goaltending most nights, and that’s enough to make them a scary opponent on any night.
The Numbers
| Flames | Coyotes | |
| Wins | 16 | 18 |
| Points | 36 | 40 |
| Adjusted Corsi | 50.7% | 48.1% |
| Power Play | 18.0% | 20.4% |
| Penalty Kill | 84.4% | 81.1% |
Injury Report
The Flames are without F Sam Bennett (upper body), D Juuso Valimaki (ACL surgery) and F Austin Czarnik (lower body). Czarnik is in Stockton on a conditioning stint.
The Coyotes are without F Marian Hossa (allergic to equipment) and D Niklas Hjalmarsson (fibula).
When Last We Met
This is the third of four games between these divisional rivals this season. Their last meeting was a 3-0 Coyotes win in Glendale, though the Flames won with a dramatic comeback 11 days before that loss. They finish off their season series on Mar. 6 in Calgary.
Know Thy Enemy
Here are some key Twitter peeps to follow for tonight:
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