The Calgary Flames (33-33-5, 71 points) haven’t been great lately. They also haven’t been particularly bad, but they’ve been just bad enough at key moments to be arriving in Missouri to face the St. Louis Blues (38-30-4, 80 points) on a four game skid. Can the Flames halt their losing streak and deliver a hefty blow to the Blues’ playoff hopes?
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The broadcast begins at 6 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan. The Flames opened as slight +115 underdogs against the Blues on Betway.
The Flames
Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:
Mangiapane – Backlund – Coleman
Zary – Kadri – Pospisil
Huberdeau – Sharangovich – Kuzmenko
Greer – Rooney – Coronato
Zary – Kadri – Pospisil
Huberdeau – Sharangovich – Kuzmenko
Greer – Rooney – Coronato
Kylington – Andersson
Weegar – Miromanov
Okhotiuk – Pachal
Weegar – Miromanov
Okhotiuk – Pachal
We’re projecting Dustin Wolf to start in net, backed up by Jacob Markstrom. The healthy extras for this game are Dryden Hunt, Walker Duehr, Dennis Gilbert and Joel Hanley… but per our pal Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet, one of Hunt or Duehr will slot in for Andrew Mangiapane and we could see somebody slide in for Oliver Kylington as well.
Dustin Wolf starts tonight in St. Louis.
Per head coach Ryan Huska, Andrew Mangiapane day-to-day and not playing tonight. Oliver Kylington a game time decision as well. #Flames
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) March 28, 2024
The Flames haven’t been horrible lately, but they’ve had tough starts and have ended up chasing in games a bunch. They’re a team that needs to play a specific style and pace of game to be competitive, and they’ve had lapses away from the puck – opening up scoring opportunities for their opponent at bad times – and just haven’t been dangerous enough offensively to out-score their mistakes.
The Flames have lost four in a row – against Washington, Vancouver, Buffalo and Chicago – and that streak has pushed them 15 points behind Vegas for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference (with a game in hand). They’re on the verge of mathematical playoff elimination.
The Blues
Projected lines courtesy Daily Faceoff:
Neighbours – Thomas – Schenn
Saad – Buchnevich – Kyrou
Toropchenko – Hayes – Kapanen
Walker – Bolduc – Scandella
Saad – Buchnevich – Kyrou
Toropchenko – Hayes – Kapanen
Walker – Bolduc – Scandella
Leddy – Parayko
Krug – Kessel
Perunovich – Faulk
Krug – Kessel
Perunovich – Faulk
We’re projecting Jordan Binnington to start in net, backed up by Joel Hofer. Extras Tyler Tucker, Nikita Alexandrov, Zach Dean and Samuel Blais.
With 10 games remaining, the Blues are six points behind Vegas for the final playoff spot in the West. It’s desperation time for them, as they need to be three wins better than Vegas from here on out. They have zero margin for error. Right now, they’re the best non-playoff team in the NHL by points percentage. But all that and a couple bucks will get you is a double-double… and the 16th overall draft choice in June’s entry draft.
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Unavailable players
The Flames are without Dillon Dube and Dan Vladar.
The Blues are without Oskar Sundqvist.
The numbers
Flames | Blues | |
33 | Wins | 38 |
71 (.500) | Points (%) | 80 (.556) |
50.2% (18th) | xGF% | 43.5% (30th) |
14.7% (30th) | PP% | 17.4% (26th) |
82.9% (5th) | PK% | 79.0% (19th) |
Head to head
This is the third and final game between the red team and the Blues this season. St. Louis won both of their first two meetings and are gunning for the series sweep.