Winners of back to back games for the first time in awhile, the Calgary Flames (28-34-7, 63 points) will attempt to stretch that streak to three games when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning (43-21-4, 90 points). Tampa Bay is visiting the Saddledome for the second-last time, and there’s no love lost between these 2004 Stanley Cup Final combatants. Can Tampa Bay win on the back half of a back-to-back? Or will the Flames triumph again?

Today’s broadcast begins at 6 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.

Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:

Blake Coleman – Mikael Backlund – Joel Farabee
Matvei Gridin – Morgan Frost – Matt Coronato
Yegor Sharangovich – Ryan Strome – Victor Olofsson
Martin Pospisil – Tyson Gross – Adam Klapka

Kevin Bahl – Zach Whitecloud
Olli Maatta – Hunter Brzustewicz
Joel Hanley – Zayne Parekh

We’re projecting Devin Cooley to start in net, backed up by Dustin Wolf – continuing their goalie rotation. The projected healthy extras are Brayden Pachal, John Beecher and Ryan Lomberg. Connor Zary, injured on a hit by A.J. Greer against Florida, did not participate in morning skate and is not expected to play. Calgary kid Tyson Gross is expected to make his NHL debut on the fourth line.

The Flames have won two games in a row! It’s just the third time they’ve managed to win back-to-back outings since the calendar year of 2026 began, which is probably all you really need to know about how this season has unfolded. They’re playing well and enjoying the good vibes… but they’re also facing a team that played in Edmonton the night before for the second consecutive outing.

At some point, the scheduling will turn against them. Enjoy the wins and good vibes as they come. The rest of the season could get a bit bumpy.

Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:

Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Nikita Kucherov
Gage Goncalves – Brayden Point – Jake Guentzel
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
Corey Perry – Nick Paul – Oliver Bjorkstrand

Darren Raddysh – J.J. Moser
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Charlie-Edouard D’Astous – Emil Lilleberg

We’re projecting Jonas Johansson to start in net, as Andrei Vasilevskiy started against Edmonton (and probably backs up). Their extras against Edmonton were Scott Sabourin and Steven Santini.

The Lightning played in the late game last night. They beat the Edmonton by a 5-2 score. The game ended at 10:40 p.m. MT and then they boogied south to Calgary. They’re in a weird scenario of playing back-to-back with the second game starting less than 20 hours after the first one ended.

Tampa’s a really good team, but this is wonky scheduling and the Flames could have an advantage if they push the pace early on.

The Flames are without Sam Honzek, Jake Bean, Jonathan Huberdeau, Yan Kuznetsov and Connor Zary.

The Lightning are without Maxwell Crozier, Dominic James, Declan Carlile and Victor Hedman.

This is the second and final meeting between these teams this season. The Flames lost to Tampa Bay by a 5-1 score in Florida back in November.