Calgary Flames @ Vegas Golden Knights, 8 PM MT, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas NV

TV: SN1, CITY - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 2-1-1 (5 pts) - Vegas Golden Knights 2-2-0 (4 pts)

NHL Standings

The Flames second game of their three game road trip sees them making a stop in Sin City to take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night. Calgary, despite a 2-1-1 record, has fallen victim to themselves in all four of their games so far this season. Calgary’s slow starts haven’t made life easy for the team and their last two games are a prime example. In a 4-3 OT loss to the Kings they found themselves down 3-0. Against the Stars on Thursday night they were down 2-0 in the third period. In both games Calgary was able to claw their way back into the game and secure at least a point by going to overtime, but the slow starts need to be a thing of the past. The Flames have only scored two first period goals while allowing the opposition to score four times in the opening frame. Not good. Where the Flames have excelled is in the third period. They have scored four goals in the final 20, which has helped them overcome some terrible starts.

Vegas comes into this contest at 2-2-0, losers of two straight to the Bruins and Coyotes. Vegas is having a fairly easy time putting the puck in the net so far on the young season. In four games the Golden Knights have 12 goals total, averaging three goals per game. Where they are really getting a solid effort is on the PK. Vegas is 4th in the league overall, killing penalties at a rate on 93.3%.

Both teams are experiencing solid goaltending and tonight’s expected match-up should be a solid one. David Rittich and Marc-Andre Fleury are both brick walls and sit in the top 10 in saves. Rittich has seen WAY more shots than Fleury, having made 131 stops on the year, good for the top spot among goaltenders. The Flames keeper is also 10th in the league in goals allowed having surrendered only 10. Fleury is his usual, dependable self, sitting at #10 in the league in GAA at 2.20 and he’s seen the 10th most shots in the league at 107 (Rittich is #1 with 141).

Stats aside, T-Mobile Arena hasn’t been a welcoming building for the Flames. Since Vegas has entered the league they are 4-0-0 against Calgary in their home barn and are averaging just under four (3.8) goals a game there, compared to Calgary’s paltry one goal average.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E): 2-1-1, 2.46 GAA, .929 Save%

Golden Knights: Fleury (E): 2-1-0, 2.20 GAA, .925 Save%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals: Gaudreau (2) Points: Gaudreau (6) PIM: Lucic (26) Save%: Rittich (.929)

Golden Knights: Goals: Smith (3) Points: Stome (6) PIM: Karlsson (12) Save%: Fleury (.925%)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Vegas Golden Knights Coverage: Knights On Ice

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 - Dallas Stars 2 (SO)

Vegas Golden Knights 1 - Arizona Coyotes 4

Players To Watch

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Flames: David Rittich (G): Allowed only 5 goals on 76 shots in last 2 games

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Golden Knights: Mark Stone (F): 6 points in first four games of the season