Preview: Calgary Flames @ Anaheim Ducks 10/8/17 (3/82): Is Tonight The Night?

Calgary Flames @ Anaheim Ducks, 8 PM MT, Honda Center, Anaheim CA

Broadcast Shedule:

TV: SNF

Radio: Sportsnet 960

We’ll spare you the gory details of the Flames struggles in Anaheim when playing the Ducks. If you so feel the need to relive that sadness, read this. We will concentrate on this game’s preview and leave the past in the past.

The Flames come into this game having righted the ship with a 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night. The Flames needed that one because coming into Anaheim 0-2-0 just wasn’t an option. The Flames offence was non existent in their 3-0 season opening loss to the Oilers, but the Flames showed plenty of life in their home opener. Glen Gulutzan mixed the lines up a bit and Calgary responded. The Gaudreau-Bennett-Lazar line was fast and Johnny Gaudreau’s 4 points should calm some fans fears. Where the Flames always fail with Anaheim is they get dragged into the gutter and into a street fight. The Ducks just know how to push the Flames buttons and Calgary always caves. Anaheim is like Calgary’s older brother who starts all the nonsense when no one is in the room and they always get the Flames to retaliate just as someone comes in. The Flames need to put their heads down and just play hockey to come out of Anaheim with a win.

The Ducks come into this game having collected 3 of a possible 4 points on the young season and that’s a small miracle in it’s own right. To say the Ducks have some injury issues would be an understatement. Here’s a look at who’s dinged up on the Ducks roster: Nick Ritchie, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrick Eaves, Ryan Kesler, Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm. How you can compete in the West with that many players out for any amount of time is unfathomable. No one is lost for the season in that list, but each player is out for a good chunk of time and that could affect the Ducks standing in the Western Conference rather quickly. Anaheim will need outstanding goaltending while they try and nurse their stars back to health, all while trying not to fall behind the likes of Edmonton and San Jose. With that giant heap of medical issues, maybe this is the year the Flames get a “W” at Honda Center.

Here’s how the teams match up:

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 6 Winnipeg Jets 3

The Flames sure gave the home crowd something to cheer about in their home opener as they scored 5 unanswered goals and sent the Jets home 6-3 losers. Calgary got 4 points from both Johnny Gaudreau and T.J. Brodie as the Flames erased a 3-1 deficit en route to their first win on the season. Here’s our recap and the highlights from NHL.com.

Anaheim Ducks 2 Philadelphia Flyers 3 (OT)

The Ducks limped into their second game of the season and fell to the visiting Flyers 3-2 in overtime. Antoine Vermette and Cam Fowler each scored their first of the season, but it wasn’t enough as Philly took down the Ducks in the extra frame. John Gibson was solid stopping 25 of the 28 shots he faced. Anaheim Calling has the recap and NHL.com provides the highlights.

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

T.J. Brodie (D). Brodie was HOT Saturday night. The Flames blue line fixture had 2 goals and 2 assists in Calgary’s 6-3 win over Winnipeg. The Flames and fans were so bent on him getting a hat trick that Glen Gulutzan left the gassed Brodie out there until games end trying to get him his 3rd of the night. Brodie’s game was noticeably faster and his shot selection was on point. The Flames will be very happy if they can keep getting this kind of production from Brodie this season.

Anaheim Ducks

Corey Perry (RW). The Ontario native has 3 points so far this season (2G 1A) and he’s going to have to be a big factor for the Ducks while they heal, well, everyone. In 5 games last season against the Flames Perry didn’t find the back of the net, but he managed to get 6 helpers. So while he wasn’t a goal scoring machine when playing the Flames, he did more than enough to make a difference.

by Mark Parkinson