Game 39 Preview: Flames at Senators

The Flames are visiting the city where I spend the majority of my year away at university tonight to take on the Senators, and as such, my pride is on the line as Ottawa stands to sweep the season series with a victory at Scotiabank Place tonight.

After a dreadful showing against the Islanders last night, the chances that the team will perform better on the second half of a back-to-back are unlikely, but I can dream. Projected lines after the jump.

Flames

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

Scott Hannan-Anton Babchuk

T.J. Brodie-Cory Sarich

Clay Wilson

Leland Irving

Senators

Milan Michalek-Jason Spezza-Daniel Alfredsson

Colin Greening-Kyle Turris-Erik Condra

Nick Foligno-Zack Smith-Bobby Butler

Kaspars Daugavins-Zenon Konopka-Chris Neil

Filip Kuba-Erik Karlsson

Jared Cowan-Sergei Gonchar

Chris Phillips-Brian Lee

Alex Auld

As Flames defencemen continue to drop, the team has called up off-season acquisition Clay Wilson from AHL Abbotsford after Derek Smith went down with an injury last night in Long Island. Smith has exceed expectations this season and his absence could force Anton Babchuk, who has been traveling with the team, to draw back into the lineup.

The Glencross-Jokinen-Iginla line will stay together despite quite the sub-par performance against a team they should have beaten as Tanguay continues to remain unavailable due to an undisclosed injury.

The visitors will get their first look at almost-Flame Kyle Turris in a Senators uniform and leading scorer Milan Michalek has made his triumphant return to the Senators lineup after missing time with a concussion.

Perhaps the only good omen for the Flames as they continue on their six-game road trip is that the Senators have lost two straight and goaltender Alex Auld has a sub-.900 SV% in his career against Calgary.

Enjoy the game everyone and happy New Years eve-eve. Go Flames. Go Leland!