Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames [Game 36]

			-AT-
			7:00 PM MST
Radio	Network		Arena		Network	Radio
690 AM CKGM	RDS		Scotiabank Saddledome		SN	960 AM CFAC
League	Value		Metric		Value	League
24th	50.0%		Points Percentage		55.7%	18th
11th	16.82%		Net Power Play Percentage		13.82%	24th
21st	82.14%		Net Penalty Kill Percentage		80.00%	26th
18th	98.97%		Combined Special Teams Percentage		93.82%	24th
27th	2.76		Goals for per Game (All Situations)		2.83	21st
22nd	3.18		Goals against per Game (All Situations)		2.94	16th
21st	-.15		Penalty +/- per Game (All Situations)		.23	11th
12th	51.32%		Shot Attempt Percentage (5V5 Score Adjusted)		52.97%	5th
8th	52.17%		Scoring Chance Percentage (5V5 Score Adjusted)		53.49%	5th
23rd	98.82%		P.D.O. (5V5)		99.61%	20th
27th	6.91%		Shooting Percentage (5V5)		6.97%	25th
19th	91.91%		Save Percentage (5V5)		92.64%	13th
Data from Hockey-Reference.com and Natural Stat Trick
The Enemies’ Lair
Eyes On The Prize

The Calgary Flames have held their last two opponents to a single goal a piece, outscoring their opponents by an eight to two margin. They take on yet another struggling offensive team tonight in the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens offense is 27th in points per game and tonight’s contest marks a great chance for the Flames to continue their run of defensive dominance.

They will have to do so without their third best possession defenseman in Travis Hamonic. Hamonic left last game with a lower body injury and did not return. The team recalled Rasmus Andersson, but he’ll draw a healthy scratch as Brett Kulak is stuck trying to carry the dead weight of the Flames worst defenseman by far in Matt Bartkowski.

Jaromir Jagr still isn’t back from his lower body injury. The coaching staff was not impressed with the effort of Curtis Lazar against the St. Louis Blues and he’s scratched tonight for Freddie Hamilton. One has to question how long the team will continue with the Lazar project. Brad Treliving gave up a second round pick for him, but it’s quite clear that he hasn’t earned the trust of Glen Gulutzan and for good reason – he has the team’s worst possession numbers and does nothing on special teams. Stockton is doing wonderfully and the Flames have a number of individuals who merit a promotion at the expense of playing time for guys like Lazar, Freddie Hamilton, and Troy Brouwer.

Mike Smith gets the start in net tonight for the Flames. Across from him will be Carey Price for Montreal. The name Price invokes fear in many people, but he’s been abhorrent this season, ranking 55th in adjusted save percentage in five-on-five scenarios.

Puck drop will be at 7:05. It can be found on SportsNet.

by Les Mavus