Just 48 hours after an emotional win over the hated Edmonton Oilers, the Calgary Flames (25-17-5, 55 points) have headed east! They’re in Quebec tonight to face the Montreal Canadiens (19-20-7, 45 points), a team firmly outside of the playoff picture.
The game begins just after 5 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
The Flames
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Mangiapane – Lindholm – Tkachuk
Gaudreau – Monahan – Backlund
Lucic – Ryan – Dube
Rinaldo – Rieder – Bennett
Gaudreau – Monahan – Backlund
Lucic – Ryan – Dube
Rinaldo – Rieder – Bennett
Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Hamonic
Kylington – Andersson
Hanifin – Hamonic
Kylington – Andersson
David Rittich starts for the Flames, backed up by Cam Talbot. Today’s projected scratches are Alexander Yelesin, Michael Stone and Mark Jankowski.
The Flames have been roaring in the ’20s, in the sense that they’ve won five games… by one goal apiece. But the win over Edmonton on Saturday was perhaps their best game of the season, holding Edmonton to just seven high-danger chances and battling back from a couple deficits.
The key thing will be to bring that kind of battle level and intensity to games that don’t involve the Oilers.
The Canadiens
Projected lines, via Daily Faceoff:
Tatar – Danault – Lehkonen
Kovalchuk – Domi – Suzuki
Poehling – Kotkaniemi – Cousins
Weal – Thompson – Weise
Kovalchuk – Domi – Suzuki
Poehling – Kotkaniemi – Cousins
Weal – Thompson – Weise
Scandella – Weber
Kulak – Petry
Mete – Fleury
Kulak – Petry
Mete – Fleury
Carey Price starts for the Habs, backed up by Charlie Lindgren. The Canadiens aren’t carrying any healthy extra bodies right now.
The Habs are, uh, not great this season. Between injuries and consistency issues, they have issues. Since their overtime win over the Flames back on Dec. 19, the Habs have won just twice – they’re 2-8-1. Their win on Saturday over Ottawa snapped an eight game skid.
If the Flames come out flying and engaged in the first period, this is a game they can grab hold of.
The Numbers
Flames | Canadiens | |
Wins | 25 | 19 |
Points | 55 | 45 |
Adjusted Corsi | 50.0% | 53.9% |
Power Play | 19.4% | 21.4% |
Penalty Kill | 82.9% | 77.9% |
Injury Report
The Flames are without D Juuso Valimaki (ACL surgery).
The Canadiens are missing F Brendan Gallagher (head), D Ben Chiarot (lower body), F Joel Armia (upper body), F Paul Byron (knee) and F Jonathan Drouin (wrist).
When Last We Met
This is the second and final game between these teams this season. Montreal beat the Flames in overtime before Christmas.
Know Thy Enemy
Here are some key Twitter peeps to follow for tonight:
