Preview: Calgary Flames vs Winnipeg Jets 11/21/18 (22/82): Flames Can Close Homestand With 3 Straight W’s

Calgary Flames vs Winnipeg Jets, 8 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: SN

Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 12-8-1 (25 points) – Winnipeg Jets 12-5-2 (26 points)

NHL Standings

Calgary’s homestand comes to an end Wednesday night as the Winnipeg Jets come to the Saddledome for the first time this season. The Flames are currently on a 2 game winning streak after beating smashing the Vegas Golden Knights Monday night 7-2. While offence has surely been the story with the Flames over the last 2 wins, David Rittich has emerged as the Flames feel good story. The backup has won his last 5 starts including 1 shutout along the way. He leads the Flames in all goaltending categories and is 2nd in the NHL in GAA and 4th in Save%.

When it comes to scoring the Flames are doing fine there lately as well. Matthew Tkachuk now leads the Flames in points with 25 and Calgary is starting to collect spots in the Top 30. Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau have joined Tkachuk on that list and Elias Lindholm and his 22 points are just outside of the Top 30. Even the defence is getting in on the act. Mark Giordano is having one of his strongest seasons on memory as a defender, but his point totals are staggering as well. The Flames captain is 5th in the NHL in points by a defender with 20.

The Jets come into this contest having won 5 of their last 8 and one of those losses was a 2-1 SO defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres. Winnipeg has had no issues putting pucks in the net when they’ve won lately. In the 5 games they collected a victory they’ve only scored less than 4 goals once, with two 5 goal games and a 6 goal effort against Vancouver. Connor Hellebuyck has been his rock steady self, winning 5 of the last 6 games he has started, surrendering only 10 goals in those 5 victories.

The Flames are 5-1-0 in the last 6 games where the Jets have visited the Saddledome. The Flames were 1-0-1 against Winnipeg last year in Calgary and own a 15-12-1 all time record against the newly minted Jets franchise.

Starting Goalies

Flames: Rittich (E): 7-1-0, 1.94 GAA, .931 Save%

Winnipeg Jets: Hellebuyck (E): 9-5-1, 2.74 GAA, .913 Save%

Team Leaders

Calgary Flames

Goals: Monahan (12) Points: Tkachuk (25) PIM: Bennett (32) Save%: Rittich (.931)

Winnipeg Jets

Goals: Scheifele (11) Points: Wheeler (24) PIM: Lemieux (27) Save%: Brossoit (.959)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Winnipeg Jets Coverage: Arctic Ice Hockey

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 7 Vegas Golden Knights 2 (recap)

Winnipeg Jets 6 Vancouver Canucks 3 (recap)

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Matthew Tkachuk: 11G 14A, 6 points in last 3 games

Winnipeg Jets

Patrik Laine: 11G 3A, 4 points in last 2 games

by Mark Parkinson