Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks, 8 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: CBC, SNP - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 0 points (0-1-0) - Vancouver Canucks 0 points (0-1-0)

NHL Standings

The Flames will open up their season at home tonight as they take on division rival Vancouver Canucks. Calgary dropped (shocker) their season opener on Thursday night as they fell to the Colorado Avalanxche 5-3. The Flames were vastly outplayed in the first period of that game, but they turned it on in the second and third periods and made the game competitive. While it wasn’t the greatest opening night showing, there was a lot of positives to Calgary’s play. David Rittich, despite giving up four goals, played solid and kept a lackluster Flames team in it for a good chunk of the game. Milan Lucic collected 17 minutes in penalties doing what he was brought here to do and the Flames were able to collect two power play goals. What Calgary can’t do is take the ridiculous amount of penalties they took against Colorado Thursday night. Calgary spent 29 minutes in the bin on account of nine penalties. They were able to kill a majority of those penalties, surrendering only two PPG.

Vancouver opened up on the road as well and had the same result as the Flames. The ‘Nucks fell 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers and their top guns. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and as usual, Connor McDavid played the hero as his third period goal tuned out to be the game winner. Vancouver, like the Flames did have some positives to take away from the loss. They out-shot Edmonton 33-22. won 51% of their face offs and their PK was 2-2.

The Flames were 2-1-2 against the Canucks last season including going 1-1 in back to back games to open the season. These games are always interesting and the added wrinkle of Micheal Ferland being a Canuck should only add to the entertainment.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E) - 0-1-0, 4.07 GAA, .871 Save%

Canucks: Markstrom (E) - 0-1-0, 3.10 GAA, .864 Save%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals: Gaudreau (1) Points: Gaudreau (2) PIM: Lucic (17), Save%: Rittich (.871)

Canucks: Goals: Edler (1), Points: Edler (1), PIM: Miller (2), Save%: Markstrom (.864)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Vancouver Canucks Coverage: Nucks Misconduct

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 - Colorado Avalanche 5

Vancouver Canucks 2 - Edmonton Oilers 3

Players To Watch

Flames

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Milan Lucic (F): Looch stepped in as the muscle for the Flames Thursday, collecting 17 penalty minutes.

Canucks

Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images

Micheal Ferland (F): The former Flame now gets to play against Calgary multiple times in the division this season. It'll be interesting to see how much of his weight he throws around tonight.