Preview: Calgary Flames @ Winnipeg Jets 10/26/19 (12/82): It’s Outdoor Hockey Time!!!!

Calgary Flames @ Winnipeg Jets, 8 PM MT, Mosaic Stadium, Regina SK

TV: NBCSN, CBC. SN1, CITY – Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 6-5-1 (13 pts) – Winnipeg Jets 5-6-0 (10 pts)

NHL Standings

The 2019 Tim Horton’s Heritage Classic has finally arrived as the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets converge on Regina Saskatchewan! This is the first time the Flames have played outdoors since the 2011 Heritage Classic where Calgary dispatched the Montreal Canadiens in convincing fashion 4-0. Winnipeg last played in the Heritage Classic in 2016, losing to the Edmonton Oilers 3-0.

While not the greatest of rivals, these two should put on quite a show and it starts between the pipes. Both teams have excellent #1 goaltenders with David Rittich leading the way for the Flames and Connor Hellebuyck manning the crease for the Jets. Both keepers are having different seasons for sure with Rittich having the better W/L record, but Hellebuyck is handling his own business very effectively. In eight starts this season the UMass Lowell product has allowed only 19 goals on 267 shots. When Winnipeg has had early season struggles it’s been in other areas not named Hellebuyck.

The Jets are 17th in the league in goals for with only 28, which is eight less than they’ve given up. Their 36 GA is 7th worst in the league, only three behind the league leading LA Kings and just one better than the Flames. Their PP is near the bottom, operating at 15.8% and their PK is dead last at 63.3%, so special teams are clearly failing the Jets so far in 2019-20.

With all that said, it’s not like the Flames are setting the league on fire either. Calgary has only put back to back wins together once, their top line can’t score, injuries have come and gone and their PP (seems like a broken record) is just slightly better than Winnipeg’s. Where the Flames have been dominant is in killing penalties. The Flames PK is 3rd in the NHL, killing man down situations at a rate of 88.9%, including killing 26 out their last 27. That’s especially good seeing the Flames are tops in the league having taken 56 penalties.

Since coming back to the league as the Jets the Flames have a 13-8-0 record against Winnipeg, including winning three out of the last five.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E)- 5-3-1, 3.06 GAA, .901 Save%

Jets: Hellebuyck- (E)- 4-4-0, 2.38 GAA, .929 Save%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals: Lindholm (6) Points: Gaudreau (9) PIM: Lucic (26) Save%: Rittich (.901)

Jets: Goals: Scheifele (4) Points: Scheifele (12) PIM: Kulikov (6) Save%: Hellebuyck (.929)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Winnipeg Jets Coverage: Arctic Ice Hockey

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 6 – Florida Panthers 5 (SO)

Winnipeg Jets 2 – LA Kings 3

Players To Watch

Flames: T.J. Brodie (D): 4 points in last 3 games

Jets: Nikolaj Ehlers (F): 3 points in last 3 games

by Mark Parkinson