Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators, 7 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: SNW - Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames (10-11-2, 22 pts) - Ottawa Senators (8-16-1, 17 pts)

NHL Standings

Which Calgary Flames team will show up tonight versus the Ottawa Senators at home?

And that’s not some cop out or lazy writing, you literally have ZERO idea what Flames team will show up to the rink each and every night. They could hang six on you and look like a legit hockey team. They could give up five and get blown out. Or they could have two collisions and a player hit with a puck during the pregame skate. It’s a comedy or errors, mind numbing defeats and frustration.

In their last seven losses the Flames have scored one goal in each game. That’s it. One goal. I don’t have answers. The Flames don’t have answers. Calgary is 20th in the league in goals scored with 58, eight behind the Ottawa Senators that we keep saying are “lowly” and “bad.” At least in Ottawa’s last seven losses they’ve scored 12 goals. That’s the kind of success you’d love to see Calgary have in their losses.

It’s yet to be seen if Jacob Markstrom is ready to come back, but the Flames could surely use him. Despite a minor hiccup here and there he was playing out of this world before sustaining an upper body injury. In keeping with the trend of running their current goalie into the ground, the Flames have started David Rittich in five straight games with mixed results. He was the Flames best player in a split with the Maple Leafs, playing out of this world. But he’s also looked awful in two losses to Ottawa giving up eight goals. Rittich, much like the Flames is impossible to figure out and I’m done trying.

This is the first of six of their next seven at home and the schedule isn’t going to be forgiving. After the recharged Senators leave town the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers come to town and none of those four contests are a walk in the park. I’d like to say I could see the Flames sending Ottawa back to the hotel with an “L” tonight, but I could also see the Flames getting their doors blown off thanks, in part, to another lackluster effort.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E): 2-5-1, 2.93 GAA, .904 SV%

Senators: Murray (E): 6-10-1, 3.55 GAA, .888 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals- Gaudreau (9), Points- Gaudreau (20), PIM- Tkachuk (19), Save%- Markstrom (.909)

Senators: Goals- Batherson (9), Points- Batherson (18), PIM: Tkachuk (34). Save%- Murray (.888)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Ottawa Senators Coverage: Silver Seven Sens

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 1 - Ottawa Senators 5

Ottawa Senators 1 - Montreal Canadiens 3

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

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

Mikael Backlund: 4 points in last two games

Ottawa Senators

Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Colin White (C): 5 points in last 5 games