Game #2: Flames at Blue Jackets

Despite goals from David Jones, Lee Stempniak, Jiri Hudler and Lance Bouma last night, the Flames could not hold off Alex Ovechkin, Mikhail Grabovski and Nicklas Backstrom in the final 50 minutes of the game, and would eventually fall to the Caps in a shootout.

After failing to hold on to 3-0 and 4-1 leads last night at the Verizon Center, the Flames pay a visit to the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight as they continue their brief jaunt through the newly minted Metropolitan Division.

Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky will be waiting for the Flames at Nationwide Arena, and will very likely provide more a challenge for Calgary’s shooters than young Braden Holtby, whom they chased early after three goals on 11 first period shots last night.

In net for the Flames tonight will be Joey MacDonald, who will provide relief for Karri Ramo on the second night on back-to-back games. Ramo was victimized by a breakaway and couple unfortunate deflections off of his teammate’s sticks in last night’s game (not to mention the shootout), and after three years away from the NHL, will likely need more than one regular season game to get accustomed to the North American game.

After Sean Monahan scored his first NHL point in his first NHL game last night, in which he logged 11:40 of ice time and won 44% of his faceoffs, Blue Jackets rookies Boone Jenner and Ryan Murray will be looking to do the same tonight in Columbus’ season opener.

Along with working to plug up the holes in their defensive game that became evident in the latter half of last night’s contest, the Flames will also want to be more disciplined tonight in Columbus. David Jones’ high stick on John Carlson and TJ Galiardi’s trip to the sin bin for his shove on Michael Neuvirth gave the Capitals the powerplay time they needed to come back and tie the game.

In lineup changes of note for the Flames, Joe Colborne, acquired from Toronto last weekend, may make his Flames debut last night after word broke earlier today that Matt Stajan could miss tonight’s game with an unspecified ailment.

Projected Lines and Pairings:

Flames:

Glencross-Stajan/Colborne-Stempniak

Hudler-Backlund-Galiardi

Baertschi-Monahan-Jones

Bouma-Stree-McGrattan

Giordano-Brodie

Wideman-Russell
Butler-O'Brien

MacDonald

Columbus (via The Cannon):

Jenner-Dubinsky-Gaborik

Calvert-Johansen-Atkinson

Letestu-Anisimov-Comeau

Umberger-MacKenzie-Foligno

Prout-Johnson

Murray-Wisniewski

Nikitin-Savard

Bobrovsky

Go Flames!

by Hayley Mutch