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Mike Cammalleri returned to the Flames' lineup in style last night after missing the first seven games of the regular season with a hand injury. Cammalleri scored a goal and an assist in last night's contest, and tonight another Flame will likely have the chance to make his season debut tonight.
Ben Street was sent down to the Abbotsford Heat earlier today, which creates a spot for centre Roman Horak, who was called up from the AHL on Sunday. Street had one assist and 13 shots on goal in eight games with the Flames. Horak has just one goal and three points in six games with the Heat so far this season, but is shooting just 4.2%.
Of course, the majority of the focus for this game is on Sean Monahan and the final game of his NHL trial period before the first year of his entry-level deal kicks in. Should the Flames choose not to send Monahan back to the Ottawa 67s this year, Monahan will collect $925,000 in the fist year of his entry-level contract.
After scoring again in last night's contest, Monahan has six goals and nine points in eight games thus far, and it seems very unlikely that Flames management will choose not to retain his services this season, although I suppose that could change with David Jones potentially returning to the lineup tonight and Matt Stajan closer to returning than expected.
I highly doubt that one game will change the Flames' decision (unless he scores an own goal or something), but don't expect that to stop Monahan from trying to add to his point totals tonight.
Projected Lines and Pairings:
Coyotes:
Klinkhammer-Vermette-Doan
Boedker-Hanzal-Vrbata
Korpikoski-Ribeiro-Moss
Chipchura-Halpern-Bissonette
Ekman-Larsson-Michalek
Yandle-Morris
Klesla-Schlemko
Smith
Flames (via The Fan):
Glencross-Backlund-Jones
Cammalleri-Colborne-Stempniak
Baertschi-Monahan-Hudler
Bouma-Horak-Galiardi
Wideman-Brodie
Butler-Russell
O'Brien-Breen
MacDonald
Mark Giordano will not play tonight due to injury, as per The Fan 960, which likely means Chris Breen will also make his debut tonight. Shane Doan will also sit this one out for the Coyotes.
Go Flames!