Calgary Flames @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 5 PM MT, PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh PA

Calgary Flames 4-1-1 (9 pts) - Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1-2 (8 pts)

TV: TVAS, SNW - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Odds: Calgary (-110), Pittsburgh (-110), O/U: 5.5

The Calgary Flames will bring their four game winning streak and five game points streak to Pittsburgh tonight for a date with the injury ravaged Penguins. But don’t let the injuries fool you, Pittsburgh will not be an easy out as they have at least a point in three of their last four.

The Penguins were thought to be getting Sidney Crosby back this evening, but that isn’t happening. According to our friends over at Pensburgh, the Pens Captain isn’t quite ready yet and was ruled out during practice this morning. So the Flames sort of dodged a bullet with that one, but not completely. Pittsburgh has been great at spreading the wealth this season when it comes to point production. All but two players on the Pittsburgh roster have a point and only seven don’t have a goal. Their 24 GF is good for 5th overall in the NHL so the Flames had better be prepared for a potent Penguins offence, even if it’s without Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

Now, put all that aside and the Penguins need to be prepared for a pretty powerful Flames offence as well, even if it’s concentrated in a few players. Calgary’s top three in scoring are Elias Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau and Andrew Mangiapane. These three have combined for 23 points, 14 of them being goals and they’ve been VERY good on this five game road trip. Lindholm and Mangiapane have 11 of Calgary’s 17 goals on this current road trip, so if Pittsburgh wants to send the Flames home with a blemish on this road trip they are going to have to slow down two of the hottest players in the league right now.

If you add it all up, what does it mean? Well, not a lot if you look at how the Flames play on the road when they visit the Penguins. Calgary is 3-13-3 in their last 19 trips to Pittsburgh with their last win coming in 2019 and they’ve lost 8 of their last 11 when they’re hosted by the Penguins. With that said, Calgary is 4-0-0 on their current five game swing and not having to deal with some of Pittsburgh’s best players is a huge bonus. The Flames will just have to keep coming out hot in the first period and playing that suffocating and heavy style of play they’ve been using when they get a lead so far this season. It’s a different Flames team pulling into Pittsburgh today and don’t be surprised it Sutter Hockey gives the Penguins fits tonight.

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Pittsburgh Penguins SBN Coverage: Pensburgh

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 5 - NJ Devils 3

Pittsburgh Penguins 1 - Tampa Bay Lightning 5

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Andrew Mangiapane (F): 6 goals in last 4 games

Pittsburgh Penguins

Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images

Evan Rodrigues (C): 4 points in last 5 games