Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators, 11 AM MT, Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa ON

TV: SNW - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames (9-10-2, 20 pts) - Ottawa Senators (7-14-1, 15 pts)

NHL Standings

If I could give the Calgary Flames any kind of advice, it would be the words of wisdom once uttered by former Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon: “try not to suck.” That’s pretty much what it comes down to because what they did on Thursday was, well, sucky.

Calgary was outplayed from the time they hit the ice until the time they skated off it, losing by the score of 6-1. At one point, the Flames had only eight shots on net after 30+ minutes of play. You aren’t beating a bantam level hockey team with that kind of effort, never mind an alleged NHL team that is playing it’s best hockey of the season. The Flames are also struggling to score as well, having scored one goal a game in their last six losses and have been outscored 22-5 over that stretch.

Ottawa has now won three in a row and five of it’s last seven and the Flames clearly did not take them seriously at all. Calgary played like trash in front of David Rittich, who was pulled after giving up four goals on twenty shots, one being a goal that was scored from almost centre ice. If Jacob Markstrom isn’t ready to go for the Flames, you’d think the Flames would go right back to Rittich. Though common sense would say to rest Rittich and start Artyom Zagidulin, but common sense doesn’t exactly mesh well with the Flames brain trust. And let’s be honest, without any inside info, Geoff Ward is on the hot seat and failures at the hands of the lowly Ottawa Senators could most certainly seal his fate.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E): 1-4-1, 2.74 GAA, .905 SV%

Senators: Murray (E): 5-9-1, 3.48 GAA, .888 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals- Gaudreau (9), Points- Gaudreau (18), PIM- Tkachuk (19), Save%- Markstrom (.909)

Senators: Goals- Tkachuk (8), Points- Tkachuk (15), PIM: Tkachuk (30). Save%- Murray (.888)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Ottawa Senators Coverage: Silver Seven Sens

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 1 - Ottawa Senators 6

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images

Matthew Tkachuk (F): 4 points in last 5 games

Ottawa Senators

Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Josh Norris (C): 3 points in last 4 games