Buffalo Sabres at Calgary Flames [Game 48]

The Calgary Flames take on the Buffalo Sabres in an inter-conference matchup as they try to hold off the torridly hot San Jose Sharks for first place in the division. The Flames have not exactly slouched in their own right, having won their last five straight games. The Sabres meanwhile are in a free fall and have lost three straight and are 3-6-1 in their last ten games.

David Rittich will get the call in net tonight. Rittich is well rested as he hasn’t played in five games. Mike Smith started the Flames last contest and helped them defeat the Arizona Coyotes by a score of seven to one. Rittich still has much better numbers and is the starter moving forward.

The Flames will be without the services of James Neal tonight who is dealing with an illness and he’ll be replaced with Austin Czarnik on line three. That pathetically might be an upgrade which is not good given the contract Neal was given during the offseason. They will also be without the services of Travis Hamonic who is missing tonight’s contest with a family illness. He’ll be replaced by Dalton Prout and that is most certainly not an upgrade.

Game time is at 7:30 P.M. M.S.T.

by Les Mavus