FGD: No More Music

Just a quick edition of FGD today with New Years festivities kind of getting all in the way.  The Calgary Flames play their final game of the season against the Nashville Predators today, hoping to even the season series with them (4 pm, Sportsnet Flames and Sportsnet 960).  The Flames are hoping to snap a two game skid and a three game period of fairly uninspired play.

Olli Jokinen plays his 1000th game tonight, so congratulations to him.  Miikka Kiprusoff returns between the pipes after another solid effort from Leland Irving on Friday night.  On the injury front, Derek Smith will be gone six to eight weeks with the high ankle sprain he suffered last week.

Curtis Glencross-Olli Jokinen-Jarome Iginla
Rene Bourque-Mikael Backlund-Lee Stempniak
Blake Comeau-Roman Horak-Paul Byron
Tom Kostopoulos-Brendan Morrison-Tim Jackman

Jay Bouwmeester-Chris Butler
Anton Babchuk-Scott Hannan
T.J. Brodie-Cory Sarich

The Preds are without Shea Weber with a concussion, and even though it was thought he might be back in the lineup sooner rather than later, it sounds like it’s going to be a little longer term.  As a result, and not surprisingly, Ryan Suter is playing stupid minutes.  The Preds also get Kevin Klein back in the lineup tonight.

Martin Erat-David Legwand-Craig Smith
Sergei Kostitsyn-Mike Fisher-Patric Hornqvist
Gabriel Bourque-Nick Spaling-Jordin Tootoo
Brian McGrattan-Jerred Smithson-Matt Halischuk

Ryan Suter-Kevin Klein
Francis Boullion-Jonathan Blum
Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis

Pekka Rinne gets the start in net.

Calgary has been really lackluster since the Vancouver win prior to Christmas.  They need to get back to playing a much sounder brand of hockey tonight against a Predators team that is beat up and without one of their most important players.