Preview: Calgary Flames @ San Jose Sharks 11/11/18 (18/82): Fire in the Shark Tank

Calgary Flames @ San Jose Sharks, 7 PM MT, SAP Center, San Jose CA

TV: SN360

Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 10-6-1 (21 Points) – San Jose Sharks 8-6-3 (19 Points)

The Calgary Flames got back to their winning ways on Saturday night, earning a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. The Flames got stellar goaltending from David Rittich who earned his first career NHL shutout in the victory. Calgary opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game, with a Travis Hamonic snapshot beating Jack Campbell. The Flames would ride that single goal to victory.

The Sharks are coming off a 4-0 blanking at the hands of former Flame Chad Johnson and the St. Louis Blues. San Jose played very poorly in that game, and have now lost two straight, with a 4-3 loss in Dallas the night before. Much like the Flames, the Sharks have been plagued with poor starting goaltending this year with Martin Jones really struggling. Also like the Flames, they’ve found a way to put together a decent record despite this.

The implications of this game are very interesting for the Flames. A win and they overtake the Canucks for first in the division, while a loss will have the Sharks move into a tie with the Flames for second in the division in the standings.

Starting Goalies

Flames: Smith (C): 5-5-1, 3.66, .872%

Sharks: Jones (E): 7-4-1, 2.84, .893%

Team Leaders

Calgary Flames

Goals: Elias Lindholm (9) Points: Johnny Gaudreau & Matthew Tkachuk (19) PIM: Bennett (25) Save%: Rittich .935

San Jose Sharks

Goals: Timo Meier (12) Points: Brent Burns (20) PIM: Evander Kane (25) Save%: Dell .905

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

San Jose Sharks Coverage: Fear The Fin

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 1 LA Kings 0

San Jose Sharks 0 St. Louis Blues 4

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Johnny Gaudreau (LW): The Flames dynamic scorer has been blanked in the first two games of the California road trip. Don’t expect that to last.

San Jose Sharks

Evander Kane (LW): Kane had that notorious four goal game against the Flames late last year and finished with six goals in three games against the Flames in 2017-18. Kane has 5 goals and 6 assists this year.

by Mark Parkinson