Preview, Game 4 – Calgary Flames vs Dallas Stars: Let’s help Cam Talbot?

Calgary Flames vs Dallas Stars, 8:30 PM MT, Rogers Place, Edmonton AB

Flames lead the Best-of-7 Series 2-1

After a high scoring Game 2 on Thursday night, Friday night’s Game 3 provided us a low scoring tight checking affair as we’ve so often see play out during the regular season between these clubs. Despite being significantly outplayed over the course of the evening, the Flames managed to squeak out a 2-0 victory thanks to shorthanded goal from Mikael Backlund and an insurance marker from T.J. Brodie in the third period.

The majority of the praise for the victory was given to Cam Talbot and rightfully so after he made 35 saves including a number of high danger saves in order to preserve not just the victory, but his second shutout of the postseason.

A win is a win, especially in the playoffs but there is very little from Friday’s performance that Calgary will want to carry into tonight’s game. On the positive side they did actually have a pretty decent start and it wasn’t until after Backlund made it 1-0 that the Stars really took over the play for the rest of the evening.

Another storyline to watch in today’s game is whether Matthew Tkachuk will be back in the lineup for the Flames after missing Game 3. It appeared to be a head injury that was suffered in Game 2 along with the other abuse he took, and he’s a game-time decision today.

Starting Goalies

Flames: Cam Talbot (5-2-0) .937 SV%, 1.87 GAA

Stars: Anton Khudobin (1-3-0) .910 SV% 2.51 GAA

Post-Season Team Leaders

Flames – Goals: Dube (4) Points: Monahan (6) PIM: Lucic (13) Hits: Bennett (42)

Stars – Goals: Perry (2) Points: Heiskanen (7) PIM: Perry (9) Hits: Oleksiak (21)

Players to Watch

Flames: Elias Lindholm – I think he’s due for a big game with the first line tonight

Stars: Tyler Seguin – He’s been held pointless in the playoffs so far and after a few close calls last game, I think we see a breakthrough today.

by Michael MacGillivray