FGD 62: Ottawa, city of brotherly love (5pm MT, SN West)

Photo credit:Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

5 years ago

“Don’t go easy on each other just because you’re brothers. I want you out there fighting! Fighting for your parents’ love!” – Keith Tkachuk (probably…)

For the first time in their hockey-playing lives, Matthew Tkachuk’s Calgary Flames (38-16-7, 83 points) face Brady Tkachuk’s Ottawa Senators (22-34-5, 49 points) in the last game for both teams before the trade deadline. It’s one of the NHL’s best teams facing off against its very worst.

It’s a national broadcast as part of Hometown Hockey at 5 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West (and the other regional channels) and Sportsnet 960 The Fan!

The Flames

Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:

Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm
Tkachuk – Backlund – Bennett
Frolik – Jankowski – Czarnik
Mangiapane – Ryan – Hathaway

Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Hamonic
Kylington – Andersson

After sitting for a few games, David Rittich starts for the Flames (backed up by Mike Smith). With three games in four nights, the Flames aim to spread out the load a bit. After missing Friday’s game with a lower body injury Oliver Kylington returns. James Neal remains out with his lower body injury. Dalton Prout and Curtis Lazar are your healthy extras.

After a few uninspiring efforts following the All-Star Break, the Flames have gone on a bit of a run. They’ve won four in a row and have points in six of their last seven games (4-1-2). And that’s without their top line doing a heck of a lot offensively.

For the Flames to get to where they want to be, they’ll need everyone chipping in. But for now they’re getting contributions from their depth players and it’s been enough for them to keep stockpiling points and inching their way to clinching a playoff position.

The Senators

Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:

Tkachuk – Chlapik – White
Duclair – Brown – Ryan
Smith – Pageau – Paajarvi
Balcers – Tierney – Batherson

Chabot – DeMelo
Wolanin – Goloubef
Harpur – Jaros

Craig Anderson starts tonight despite taking the loss against Columbus on Friday, Anders Nilsson backs him up. Newly-acquired Anthony Duclair should make it in time for the game but is questionable, as he played back-to-back games for Columbus on Friday and Saturday prior to the trade. If he does slot in, likely Rudolfs Balcers slides out. Mark Stone is a healthy scratch for Ottawa, as you would expect him to be given he could be traded at any moment.

Update: Duclair and Olympic bronze medalist Cody Goloubef will play, as Stone, Mikkel Boedker and Cody Ceci are out tonight.

Speaking to the media after the Flames’ win on Friday, Matthew Tkachuk recalled that he and little brother Brady had never played each other in an organized league. Dating back to 2013-14, the duo have never been in the same league at the same time (until now):

2013-14: Matthew with US National Development Team (USHL), Brady with St. Louis AAA Blues (Bantam)
2014-15: Matthew with US National Development Team (USHL), Brady with St. Louis AAA Blues (U16)
2015-16: Matthew with London (OHL), Brady with US National Development Team (USHL)
2016-17: Matthew with Calgary (NHL), Brady with US National Development Team (USHL)
2017-18: Matthew with Calgary (NHL), Brady with Boston University (NCAA)
2018-19: both brothers in NHL

Play nice, boys.

The Numbers

	CGY	OTT
Wins	38	22
Points	83	49
Adjusted Corsi	52.9%	44.2%
Power Play	22.1%	20.9%
Penalty Kill	78.3%	77.6%

Injury Report

The Flames are without Michael Stone and James Neal.

The Senators are without Marian Gaborik and Mark Borowiecki.

Season Series

This is the first of two meetings between the Flames and Senators this season. They cap off their series in Calgary in mid-March.

Know Thy Enemy

Your Senators Twitter follows for tonight:

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