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Calgary @ Winnipeg game preview: THAT’S IT! BACK TO WINNIPEG!

Game 82. It seems like only yesterday we patiently awaited the season to start. Let's ruin Winnipeg's afternoon by beating them at home. OH! Maybe Sam Bennett will get a debut.

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Well, they did it folks. After all those intangibles, all the #NeverQuit, and all of the "always earned, never given" mantra. It's game day of the final regular season game of the season. Though the much debated mantra has it's loopholes, it's playoff hockey starting soon. Six years is a long time, it's going to be fun.

Thursday’s victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions eliminated the Kings from the playoff race thus solidifying the Calgary Flames‘ first post-season birth since 2008-09. Tears may have poured, throats may have been raw from screaming, and fans may have been hungover Friday morning.

Today we might get to see Sam Bennett’s long-awaited NHL debut as a number of players are on the “injured reserve”. Calgary recalled several players yesterday so it’s possible we’ll see a number of players get the day off. Right now we have no idea what the roster is.

Recap from Thursday | Stats Recap | NHL Boxscore

The Jets, they’re looking to just close out the season on a positive note. Their first playoff birth as the Winnipeg Jets v2 and the first taste of playoff hockey IN Winnipeg since 1996. Check out our pals at Arctic Ice Hockey for all your Winnipeg coverage.

Also a formal congratulations are in order to our friends in Winnipeg. Your city might be cold, boring, and a lesser-Edmonton but you folks are alright.

Game time: 1:00 PM MST – It's early so treat yourself to brunch and hockey.

Channel: Sportsnet, Sportsnet West, and TSN3

All-time record: Since returning to ol' Winnipeg, the Flames have a 10-7-1 record against the Jets. Included in that is a +11 goal differential. No one cares about the Atlanta record.

Common threads: Both teams are in cities that exist in Canada. Lee Stempniak plays in Winnipeg now. He used to be a Flame, now he isn’t. Remember that one time he hit Andrew Ference cleanly and Ference jumped him? Precious memories.

Approaching milestones: Mikael Backlund is three games from 300 played. David Jones is seven goals from 100 and Dennis Wideman is eight away from 100. Sean Monahan is four points away from 100 as well. Maybe he’ll score those four today.

Scoreboard watching: If you feel like watching the Oilers probably lose to the Canucks you can watch that at 8:00 MST on CBC. Sit down with the family and watch a comedy.

Current records and leaders

Calgary Flames Winnipeg Jets
Record: 45-29-7: 97 points Record: 42-26-13: 97 points
Pacific Division: 3rd Central Division (CONFERENCE 3): 5th
Western Conference: 7th Western Conference: 8th
Goal Differential: +29 Goal Differential: +16
Time on ice
Defence: TJ Brodie (25:12 per game)
Forward: Sean Monahan (19:37 per game)
Defence: Tyler Myers (23:49 per game)
Forward: Andrew Ladd (20:04 per game)
Points
Goals: Sean Monahan (31)
Jiri Hudler
Assists: Jiri Hudler (45)
Points: Jiri Hudler (76)
Goals: Blake Wheeler (26)
Assists: Andrew Ladd (38)
Points: Andrew Ladd (62)
Shots
Shots on goal: Sean Monahan (191)
Shooting percentage: Jiri Hudler (19.6%)
Shots on goal: Andrew Ladd (244)
Shooting percentage: Lee Stempniak (19.2%)
Faceoff Leaders
Sean Monahan (49.3%, 1830 taken) Bryan Little (49.1%, 1551 taken)
#GRITCHART
Penalty minutes: Brandon Bollig (88)
Hits: Lance Bouma (264)
Blocked shots: Kris Russell (283)
Penalty minutes: Dustin Byfuglien (122)
Hits: Adam Lowry (252)
Blocked shots: Mark Stuart (142)
ES Corsi/Fenwick (minimum 1/2 team’s games played)
Corsi for%: Mark Giordano (49.75%, 61 GP)
Jiri Hudler (48.21%, 78 GP)
Fenwick for%: Josh Jooris (49.46%, 61 GP)
Mark Giordano (50.10%, 61 GP)
Corsi for%: Mathieu Perreault (57.22%, 62 GP)
Adam Lowry (54.58%, 79 GP)
Fenwick for%: Mathieu Perreault (56.52%, 62 GP)
Blake Wheeler (54.58%, 79 GP)

Possible starting lineups – SUBJECT TO IMMENSE CHANGE!

Calgary Flames
Left Wing Center Right Wing
Johnny Gaudreau Sam Bennett Josh Jooris
Mason Raymond Mikael Backlund Joe Colborne
Michael Ferland Markus Granlund Drew Shore
Brandon Bollig Matt Stajan David Wolf
Left Defence Right Defence
Deryk Engelland Corey Potter
David Schlemko Tyler Wotherspoon
Brett Kulak John Ramage
Goalies
Joni Ortio
(My Name Is) Jonas Hiller

Atlantapeg Thrashjets
Left Wing Center Right Wing
Andrew Ladd Bryan Little Michael Frolik
Drew Stafford Mark Scheifele Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault Adam Lowry’s seasoning salt Lee Stempniak
Jiri’s Tlusty Jim Slater Chris Thorburn
Left Defence Right Defence
Ben Chiarot Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart Jacob Trouba
Jay Harrison Adam Pardy loves to party
Goalies
Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson is addicted to glove

It's been a wild ride this season, folks. Here's to at least four more games this year.

by Mike Pfeil