Preview: Calgary Flames vs Toronto Maple Leafs 3/4/19 (66/82): The Dome Isn’t Home For The Leafs

Calgary Flames vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 PM MT

Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: SNW

Radio: SN960

Calgary Flames (41-17-7, 89 Points) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (40-21-4, 84 Points)

The Flames will look to start a new winning streak Monday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs make their only regular season visit to the Saddledome. Calgary had it’s seven game winning streak snapped Saturday night with a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. The seven game streak was a season high for Calgary and the Flames took back control of the Western Conference and Pacific Division. Mike Smith was in net for the Flames Saturday night and didn’t have his best game, yet he’s been so solid the last 2 weeks that he’s leap frogged over David Rittich back into the starters role. Who plays tonight? That remains to be seen, but after Smith’s struggles in net against Minnesota you’d have to think David Rittich would get another chance to shine. It’s hard to believe that a goalie with a 22-5-5 record would need the chance to prove himself again, but this is kind of how it’s gone for the Flames between the pipes this season.

The Maple Leafs come into this contest winners of four of their last five and they are doing it with offence. In their four wins Toronto has outscored their opponents 22-10. Mitch Marner has been absolutely on fire lately with nine points in his last five games, including two 3 point efforts. Finding the back of the net hasn’t been an issue this season as the Leafs are tied for second in the league with 233 goals scored on the year (just one ahead of Calgary).

Both of these teams match up very well as they have similar home and road records and they are very similar on offence. The Maple Leafs have the league’s 8th best PP, the Flames the 11th. Toronto has the 14th best PK, Calgary 21st. And when it comes to goals allowed on the season the Flames have given up 182, the Maple Leafs 186. All in all it’s a pretty even match up across the board.

Calgary took the first meeting of these two teams 3-1 back on October 29th which snapped a six game losing streak by the Flames in Toronto. Things are a little different at the Saddledome where the Flames have won seven out of the last nine times these two teams have met.

Starting Goaltenders

Flames: Rittich (E): 22-5-5, 2.56 GAA, .913 SV%

Wild: Andersen (E): 31-13-3, 2.58 GAA, .923 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals – Gaudreau (30), Points – Gaudreau (83), PIM – Bennett (83), Save%- Rittich (.913)

Maple Leafs: Goals – Tavares (37), Points – Marner (78), PIM – Hyman (55), Save%- Andersen (.923)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Toronto Maple Leafs Coverage: Pension Plan Puppets

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 2 – Minnesota Wild 4

Toronto Maple Leafs 5 – Buffalo Sabres 2

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Johnny Gaudreau (F): 30G – 53A, 4 assists in last 3 games

Toronto Maple Leafs

John Tavares (C): 37G – 34A, 7 points in last 5 games

by Mark Parkinson