Calgary Flames @ Florida Panthers, 2 PM MT, BB&T Arena, Sunrise FL

TV: SNW, ESPN+ - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 33-26-7 (73 pts) - Florida Panthers 33-25-7 (73)

NHL Standings

The Flames final stop of a five game road trip see them in Sunrise Florida paying a visit to the Florida Panthers. Calgary’s road trip hit a snag yesterday as they ran into the buzz saw that is the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames dropped their first game of two in the Sunshine State by the score of 5-3, but at times it didn’t feel that close. Calgary found themselves down 3-0 and were able to get within one, but Tampa would push their lead to 4-2 and that was really it for the Flames.

Afternoon games don’t tend to sit well for the Flames and that was on full display as they looked sluggish and like they weren’t ready to go from the start. Calgary also had a minuscule 11 SOG before they finally found the back of the net for the first time yesterday at the 13:12 mark of the second period. You don’t need to be a brain surgeon to understand that those numbers aren’t good. And if you loved yesterday’s early afternoon game, you’ll love this one too! The Flames and Panthers drop the puck at 2 PM MT, so here’s to hoping the Flames look slightly more engaged than they did yesterday.

Florida has the same 73 points Calgary has and they are fighting for their playoff lives. The Panthers are three points behind Columbus for the final WC spot in the East and a win today would be huge as they have been on a bit of a roller coaster lately.

After going on a nice little run in early January, the Panthers have come back to Earth. They started the new year winning eight of ten in the month of January, but the Panthers have gone 5-9-2 in February, including dropping six of their last nine. They are currently riding a two game losing streak, so you know what that means: the Flames are a welcome sight in South Florida.

The Flames are an even 4-4-0 in the second night of back to back’s so far in 2019-20, while the Panthers 7-2-1 in the same scenario. Calgary has been pretty successful home and away historically against the Panthers with a 10-6-2 record when visiting the Swamp Cats. The Flames have won four out of their last six visits, dropping last season’s only visit 3-2. Florida is on the outside looking in and the Flames are barely hanging on to their WC spot, so you’d think both teams would come into this contest looking to play their best. You’d think.

Starting Goalies

Flames: Talbot (Expected) 9-10-1, 2.83 GAA, .914 SV%

Panthers: Bobrovsky (Expected) 23-19-6, 3.23 GAA, .900 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames - Goals: Lindholm (28), Points: Tkachuk (56), PIM: Tkachuk (72), Save%: Talbot (.914)

Panthers - Goals: Hoffman (27), Points: Huberdeau (77), PIM: Brown (39), Save%: Driedger (.932)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Florida Panthers Coverage: Litter Box Cats

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 - Tampa Bay Lightning 5

Florida Panthers 2 - Chicago Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Andrew Mangiapane (F): 4 goals in last 5 games

Florida Panthers

Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

Aleksander Barkov (C): 4 points in last 5 games