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Preview: Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators 2/15/18 (58/82): It Doesn’t Get Any Easier As The Trip Ends

The Flames close out a 6 game road trip with Pekka Rinne and the 2nd place Nashville Predators.

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Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators, 6 PM MT, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville TN

The Flames 6 game road trip finally comes to an end as Calgary pulls into Music City USA for a date with the Nashville Predators. The Flames are currently 3-2-0 on their trip East and none of these games have been easy. Calgary took one on the chin Tuesday night, suffering a 5-2 setback to the Bruins, but all their competition in the Western Conference lost on Tuesday, softening the blow and keeping the Flames alive in the final playoff spot.

Nashville meanwhile is almost a mirror image of the Bruins when it comes to records, points, GF/GA and where they sit in the standings. Nashville is riding a 7 game streak where they’ve collected at least a point and they’ve won 11 of their last 15. Pekka Rinne is once again a wall for the Preds as he’s compiled a 29-8-4 record and he’s 5-0-1 in his last 6 starts.

This is a big test for the Flames and they didn’t fare too well in their last test on this trip in Boston. A win would be a huge get for the Flames as they’d secure two important points in the Western Conference. It feels like the Flames have been playing with house money right now and while they are still in a playoff spot, their grip on it isn’t too tight. The Flames have won 5 times in their last 6 trips to Nashville which is much better than their previous 5 straight losses in the Predators home barn.

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Nashville Predators Coverage: On The Forecheck

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 2 Boston Bruins 5

Overmatched. That is the best way to sum up the Flames performance in Boston Tuesday night. Calgary had a brief 2-1 lead, but predictability settled in and Calgary folded to a much better team. Here’s our recap and the highlights from NHL.com

Nashville Predators 4 St. Louis Blues 3 (OT)

The Predators last took to the ice on Tuesday night as well and snuck by the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in overtime. Filip Forsberg netted the OT winner and Pekka Rinne stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced to earn his 29th win. On The Forecheck has the recap and NHL.com provides the highlights.

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Johnny Gaudreau (F). Gaudreau just keeps keeping on. The Flames star forward has points in 19 of his last 21 games. It sounds like a broken record, but Gaudreau has just been THAT good lately. In 2 games against the Predators this season he has 1 assist.

Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg (F). The product of Sweden has 5 points in his last 5, but what’s more impressive are his numbers at Bridgestone Arena. In 20 home games Forsberg has 27 points and he has 28 of his 39 points in games where the Predators win. In 2 games this season against the Flames Forsberg has 1 goal.

by Mark Parkinson