Preview: Calgary Flames @ Colorado Avalanche 2/28/18 (65/82): Flames Go For Season Sweep Of Colorado

Calgary Flames @ Colorado Avalanche, 7:30 PM MT, Pepsi Center, Denver CO

The Flames and Avalanche are just 4 calendar days removed from having played their second game in the season series for 2017-18. Calgary took that game 5-1 behind a 28 save performance by Jon Gillies and a 3 point night from Mikael Backlund. That win was the second time the Flames have taken down the Avs this season and a win tonight would make it a season sweep over Colorado.

Both the Flames and Avalanche are sitting outside the last 2 Wild Card spots, but Calgary is a little closer to getting back in. A 2-0 shut out loss to Dallas certainly didn’t help the Flames, but they are 2 points ahead of Colorado and only 1 point behind the Anaheim Ducks who hold the last spot as of this writing.

Pepsi Center has been a fairly welcoming place for the Flames as they’ve won 3 of their last 5 games played in the Mile High City.

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Colorado Avalanche Coverage: Mile High Hockey

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 0 Dallas Stars 2

The Flames didn’t lose this game for lack of trying. Calgary put 38 shots on net, but Ben Bishop was on his game, stopping all 38 en route to the victory. The Flames achilles heel was the PP as they went 0-6 with the man advantage. Here’s our recap and the highlights from NHL.com

Colorado Avalanche 3 Vancouver Canucks 1

The Avalanche are in a weird 6 game run against the three teams in Western Canada. Colorado rebounded nicely from their 5-1 loss to Calgary with a 3-2 win over the Canucks Monday night. Nathan MacKinnon paced the Avs offence in this contest with 2 goals and 1 assist. Mile High Hockey has the recap and NHL.com provides the highlights.

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Mikael Backlund (C). Backlund’s offence has been picking up lately and he’s got 4 points in his last 5 games. 3 of those came against the Avalanche on Saturday in the Flames 5-1 victory. He’s had a very productive month of February with 7 points in 13 games.

Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon (C). As MacKinnon goes, the Avalanche go. In 29 of Colorado’s 33 wins MacKinnon has 53 points and is a +12. He’s also been nearly unstoppable at home scoring 20 times and collecting 29 assists in Colorado’s 24 home games. He has 8 points in his last 5 games, including the lone goal in the Avs 5-1 loss to Calgary on Saturday afternoon.

by Mark Parkinson