Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks game preview: Battle of the losers to Florida

It’s already time for the third of four matchups against the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks currently have a 2-0 lead in the season series: first, they won the season opener 4-2, and then, they handed the Flames a devastating eighth straight loss on Dec. 20, wherein the Flames scored on their own empty net and the Canucks won the game 18 seconds into an overtime frame the Flames (re: Johnny Gaudreau) fought hard to reach. It sucked. They suck. I don’t like them. They can clinch the season series with a win tonight. Let’s not have that happen.

The Flames are coming off of an absolutely nutty 6-5 loss to the Florida Panthers from just last night, their third loss in a row. They have yet to win in 2015, as Jonas Hiller let in six of 35 shots, not good enough to beat Al Montoya’s dismal five goals on 30 shots record. While TJ Brodie had his first multi-goal game, and Matt Stajan also scored twice, and also Mikael Backlund, who is the best, continued to put up points and Lance Bouma even managed himself three assists, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Panthers’ own offensive attack. Also the Flames’ powerplay sucked again. | Recap | Stats | Boxscore | Ah yes, the game of eight billion goals:

And the Canucks? They, too, have recently lost to the Panthers. Roberto Luongo beat his old team 3-1, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people cried, because that's what tends to happen when a traded franchise player returns. People get emotional. The player your old management scorned stopped 32 of 33 shots. Only a Sedin could get a goal. That sort of thing, you know?

Nucks Misconduct has way more useful information on the opponent than I probably ever will.

Game time: 8:00 p.m. MT

Channel: CBC, Hockey Night in Canada, and such.

All-time record: The Flames have a 140-103-33-13 all-time record on the Canucks, including a +52 goal differential, because we are better than them.

Common threads: One time Mason Raymond played for Vancouver, and it was very sad because he looks like a pure soul and that shouldn't have had to have happened to him. He played 374 games for them over six seasons, scoring 80 goals and 178 points. Just tragic.

Chris Higgins played 12 games for the Flames once. My friend likes his abs.

Approaching milestones: Jonas Hiller finally played 20,000 minutes! His 20,000th minute was not a very good one! Also, tonight will be Mark Giordano’s 492nd NHL game. That’s a number close to 500. He was undrafted.

Current records and leaders

Possible starting lineups

by Ari Yanover