Flames at Canucks Game Thread

Down two regular forwards and their starting goaltender, the Flames are the likely underdog coming into this game against a Canucks team that has won four straight. The Flames have two consecutive wins and bounced back after a rough first period against the Blue Jackets on Thursday, but struggled to retain the lead again in a game they probably should have won more easily.

Leland Irving will start in net for the second straight game, and he’s had success against the Canucks before in his short professional career. Some of you might remember this glorious evening back in December of 2011 on which Mikael Backlund scored the game-winner and Irving made 29 saves to propel the Flames to a 3-1 win and break a long-standing regulation losing streak to the Canucks:

But I digress. The Flames will certainly need Irving to be on his game tonight, but they will also require a full-team effort if they're going to take down the vile Canucks at home. That will be a lot more difficult without the likes of Cammalleri and Backlund, but if the Flames can stay out of the box and Tanguay, Cervenka and the rest of the top six can carry them offensively, they may stand a chance.

Here are your projected lines and pairings:

Canucks:

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows

Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen

Higgins-Lapierre-Kassian

Weise-Malhotra-Volpatti

Bieksa-Garrison

Hamhuis-Edler

Ballard-Tanev

Schneider

Flames:

Glencross-Tanguay-Iginla

Cervenka-Stajan-Hudler

Comeau-Street-Stempniak

Begin-Jones-Jackman

Giordano-Bouwmeester

Brodie-Wideman

Smith-Butler

Irving

Go Flames Go. GET 'EM.

by Hayley Mutch