:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70122906/1201016377.0.jpg)
If you live in Alberta, Calgary specifically, and enjoyed those 7 PM MT starts, it’s time to adjust your viewing schedule. The Flames are heading East again, but this time it’s an extended road trip that sees them play seven games away from the Dome in 10 days. Here’s what the schedule looks like, starting tomorrow night in Montreal:
11/11: Calgary Flames @ Montreal Canadiens, 5 PM MT
11/12: Calgary Flames @ Toronto Maple Leafs, 5 PM MT
11/14: Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators, 3 PM MT
11/16: Calgary Flames @ Philadelphia Flyers, 5 PM MT
11/18: Calgary Flames @ Buffalo Sabres, 5 PM MT
11/20: Calgary Flames @ NY Islanders, 5 PM MT
11/21: Calgary Flames @ Boston Bruins, 5 PM MT
This is a grueling trip game and travel-wise, but the teams they are playing aren’t overly successful so far this season. AND the Flames have played extremely well away from home this year. As on this writing (11/10), the Flames are 5-1-0 on the road and handling their business away from Calgary with relative ease. Here’s a look at the records of the teams (as of 11/10) that they’ll be skating against over the next 10 days:
| Teams | Record | Points | Division | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 3-10-1 | 7 | Atlantic (8th) | 1-3-1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 7-5-1 | 15 | Atlantic (4th) | 4-1-0 |
| Ottawa Senators | 3-8-1 | 7 | Atlantic (7th) | 0-4-1 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 6-2-2 | 14 | Metropolitan (4th) | 3-1-1 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 5-5-2 | 12 | Atlantic (6th) | 0-4-1 |
| NY Islanders | 5-3-2 | 12 | Metropolitan (7th) | 3-1-1 |
| Boston Bruins | 6-4-0 | 12 | Atlantic (5th) | 3-2-0 |
The Flames aren’t catching a ton of these teams at their best right now, but it is also the Eastern Conference, which is slightly stronger than the West and the Pacific. And if you go by the chart below (all time vs these teams out East), it’s not the best looking road trip based on history. The Flames don’t have a winning record against any of the upcoming opponents in their respective buildings and they only have a winning record against one team in their last 10 trips, sorry Philly. But that’s typical of the teams from different conferences over the years. It’s hard to climb that mountain to .500 when you only play them one time on the road now and it was every other year for a very long time. Either way, the Flames historically haven’t had good showings in these cities (especially Boston) and it’s been a struggle over their last 10 trips to each barn as well. Take a look.
| Team | Record | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|
| @ Montreal Canadiens | 21-38-8 | 5-5-0 |
| @ Toronto Maple Leafs | 25-39-7 | 5-5-0 |
| @ Ottawa Senators | 9-15-3 | 4-6-0 |
| @ Philadelphia Flyers | 23-41-3 | 6-4-0 |
| @ Buffalo Sabres | 17-33-5 | 4-6-0 |
| @ NY Islanders | 20-31-9 | 4-6-0 |
| @ Boston Bruins | 16-35-6 | 3-7-0 |
In the end, it’s all just stats and you have to play the games at the end of the day. Every single one of these teams, save Montreal and Ottawa (Boston is 5-0-0 at home) is over .500 and playing well in their own rink as of this writing. Like we mentioned earlier in this article, the Flames are playing very well away from the Dome and could start the climb to respectability in these other cities on this road trip. I don’t think anyone expects the Flames to sweep the East, but they should be able to have success. If the Flames can grab 9 points (counting three loser points in that 9), this would be a VERY successful trip. It will surely be a test for Calgary, but it also means the end of long trips out East to face the tougher of the two Conferences.
Loading comments...