New Look Flames Take On Sinking Oilers Tonight

Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers, 8 PM MT, Rogers Place, Edmonton AB

TV: NHLN, CBC, SN – Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames (11-11-2, 24 pts) – Edmonton Oilers (14-11-0 28 pts)

NHL Standings

The Flames are in Edmonton tonight for round four of the Battle Of Alberta. The Flames took the opening contest 6-4, but since then have been outscored 9-2 and lost both games, the second an embarrassing 7-1 defeat back on February 20th. Since that loss the Flames have gone 3-2-1, lost Jacob Markstrom to injury, had trouble scoring, had a tough time with the Senators, fired Geoff Ward and hired Darryl Sutter. Got all that? And with all of that in mind the Flames are still only four points behind third place Edmonton in the standings. How is that possible? Well……

……Edmonton hasn’t played their best hockey since that beat down of the Flames. Edmonton is mired in a three game losing streak that saw them drop three straight to Toronto and be outscored 13-1 over that time frame. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were held without a goal and only Draisaitl was able to get on the scoresheet with a secondary assist on the Oilers lone goal of the series. There’s a good chance that streak is coming to an end soon and the Flames would like it to happen after they leave town.

It will be interesting to see how the Flames approach and handle this game with Ryan Huska as their interim head coach. Darryl Sutter isn’t available until mid week next week per NHL Quarantine Protocol. As much the Flames probably don’t feel any pressure with Huska on the bench, they do need this win to close the gap with the Oilers. These two points are extremely valuable in this shortened season and I’m sure the Flames would like to turn the tables on an Edmonton team that made them look like a dysfunctional unit less than a month ago. Jacob Markstrom has been removed from IR and was on the Flames bench during their 7-3 victory over Ottawa. He will get the start tonight in Edmonton.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Markstrom (C): 8-6-1, 2.87 GAA, .909 SV%

Oilers: Smith (E): 6-2-0, 2.23 GAA, .923 SV%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals- Gaudreau (9), Points- Gaudreau (21), PIM- Tkachuk (21), Save%- Markstrom (.909)

Oilers: Goals- McDavid (14), Points- McDavid (40), PIM: Nurse (33). Save%- Smith (.923)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Edmonton Oilers Coverage: Copper & Blue

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 7 – Ottawa Senators 3

Edmonton Oilers 1 Toronto Maple Leafs 6

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Sean Monahan (C): 3 points in last 3 games

Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid (C): 0 points in last 3 games

by Mark Parkinson