Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks, 8:00 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: CBC, SN, SN360, SN1, CITY

Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 23-12-3 (49 pts) - Vancouver Canucks 18-18-4 (40 pts)

NHL Standings

In what should be a fantastic matchup for years to come, Johnny Gaudreau and the Flames take on Elias Pettersson and the Vancuver Canucks Saturday night from the Saddledome. The Flames roared back from the holiday break with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night and Vancouver dispatched the Oilers 4-2 on Thursday as well.

Johnny Gaudreau continues to amaze as he potted a hat trick on Thursday, giving him 51 points on the season. That point total is good for 6th in the league, 10 points behind league leading Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gaudreau is also on an incredible hot streak. He has 32 points in his last 19 games and 9 points in his last five outings.

Elias Pettersson meanwhile is having a dream rookie season. He’s taken over the spot light from the Sedin Twins, who retired at the end of last season and Pettersson looks like he’s all set with being the face of the Vancouver franchise. In 34 games the twenty year old has 38 points, tops on the team and is 34th overall in scoring. Not bad for a rookie. Pettersson has “cooled” off a bit, with “only” four points in his last five games. But Flames fans should not rest easy as he opened the season with quite a showing against Calgary. The young star had three goals and two assists in his first two NHL games, both against the Flames.

Calgary comes into this contest tops in the Pacific and just one point out of first place in the Western Conference. They recently snapped a three game losing skid and have owned Vancouver at the Saddledome. Calgary is 10-3-0 in their last 13 games against the Canucks at home.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E)- 12-4-2, 2.22 GAA, .926 Save%

Canucks: Markstrom (E)- 15-10-3, 2.84 GAA, .909 Save%

Team Leaders

Calgary: Goals- Monahan (21), Points- Gaudreau (51), PIM- Bennett (55) Save%- Rittich (.926)

Vancouver: Goals- Pettersson (18), Points- Pettersson (38), PIM- Roussel (78), Save%- Markstrom (.909)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Vancouver Canucks Coverage: Nucks Misconduct

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 4 - Winnipeg Jets 1

Vancouver Canucks 4 - Edmonton Oilers 2

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Monahan (C): 21G - 22A, 5 points in last 5 games

Vancouver Canucks

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Boeser (F): 13G - 11A, 4 points in last 5 games