Preview: Calgary Flames @ Detroit Red Wings 2/23/20 (63/82): Flames Road Trip Start With Lowly Detroit

Calgary Flames @ Detroit Red Wings, 5:00 PM MT, Little Caesars Aerna, Detroit MI

TV: SN – Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 31-25-6 (68 pts) – Detroit Red Wings 15-44-4 (34 Points)

NHL Standings

The Flames are hitting the road for a five game road trip that sees their first stop be the Detroit Red Wings. Talk about a shift in scheduling. Calgary last played on Friday night, losing 4-3 to the NHL’s best Bruins and now they play the NHL’s worst in the Red Wings. IN THEORY, this should be a game the Flames should win, but Detroit has taken down Boston twice this season, so who knows. The Flames should be excited to get out of the Saddledome and hit the road as home cooking hasn’t been very good this year. Calgary is 14-12-4 at home, compared to their 17-13-2 record on the road. The Flames are 4-5-1 in their last 10 home games, but have dropped six straight at the Saddledome and David Rittich has been a mess. The Flames top keeper has lost his last seven starts at home, but has won seven out of his last ten road starts.

What to say about the poor Red Wings? Detroit has completely fallen off the map and all that’s left for them is to get through game 82 and enjoy the summer. Jimmy Howard, remember him? He’s been an absolute nightmare for Detroit this season, being responsible for 24 of Detroit’s 44 losses/OTL and only two of it’s 15 wins. That almost seems impossible. But it’s not just goaltending, it’s EVERYTHING in the Motor City. The Red Wings have scored a league low 126 goals, 25 less than Anaheim who’s 30th in the league with 151. They’ve given up a league high 235 goals, 26 more than the Florida Panthers who are second worst. They’re PP operates at 14.7%, third worst. The PK is at 75%, third worst in the NHL. Dead last in Shots Per Game at 27.3. Luckily for Detroit this game is at home where they are 10-18-2, which is WAY better than their 5-26-2 road record. They’ve also dropped 15 out of their last 18.

These two last met on October 17th when the Flames defeated Detroit 5-1 at the Saddledome. That loss was part of one of Detroit’s four losing streaks of six games or more, with the high….or low water mark being 10. Calgary is an even 5-5-0 in their last 10 trips to Detroit.

Starting Goalies

Flames: Rittich (Expected) 22-15-5, 2.94 GAA, .908 SV%

Red Wings: Bernier (Expected) 13-18-2, 2.89 GAA, .908 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames – Goals: Lindholm (27), Points: Tkachuk (51), PIM: Tkachuk (70), Save%: Talbot (.914)

Red Wings – Goals: Bertuzzi (18), Points: Larkin (43), PIM: Hroneck (44), Save%: Bernier (.908)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Detroit Red Wings Coverage: Winging It In Motown

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 – Boston Bruins 4

Detroit Red Wings 1 – NY Islanders 4

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Mikael Backlund (C): 6 points in last 5 games

Detroit Red Wings

Anthony Mantha (F): 4 points in last 5 games

by Mark Parkinson