Projected Lines: CGY vs EDM

Projected Lines

Calgary Flames versus Edmonton Oilers

Scotiabank Saddledome

Calgary, Alberta

The Flames are home from the Holiday break and home from a successful 3-0-1 road trip as they host the Oilers tonight for the season finale of the Battle Of Alberta. Let’s check out today’s morning skate and get a look at what we can expect!

Our lineup starts in the blue paint, where Jacob Markstrom was in the starter’s net.

Per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960:

Markstrom has won three straight games, stopping 69 of 76 shots faced along that span. He carries an 11-8-4 record into tonight’s contest, alongside an .894 Save Percentage and 2.84 Goals Against Average overall. In his last start against Edmonton, he suffered a 3-2 loss on October 29th.

In other notes from morning skate, the Flames have recalled forward Radim Zohorna from the AHL Wranglers after sending him down on December 23rd, just before the Christmas break. Forward Matthew Phillips and defenseman Nick DeSimone have gone the other way.

Zohorna was an extra skater this morning, as well as Dennis Gilbert who was placed on IR December 18th. He skated in a full face cage to protect his injury.

Lineup Looks:

• D-Man Chris Tanev had missed four games since suffering a head injury against Montreal on December 12th. He made his return December 20th and skated on the second pair with Mackenzie Weegar and looks to remain there for the time being.
• Defender Oliver Kylington remains away on personal leave.
• D-Man Michael Stone is officially back from Injured Reserve since November 26th against Carolina, and he has skated on the third pairing with Nikita Zadorov since.
• After going back to being healthy scratched and flip-flopping press box spots with Brett Ritchie most of the year, Kevin Rooney cleared waivers and has been officially designated to the Wranglers as of December 9th.
• Dennis Gilbert was sent back down to the Wranglers as of November 27th and recalled on December 18th, but is now on IR as of December 20th.
• After being a highly published healthy scratch, Milan Lucic will remain in and so will Brett Ritchie to join him on the fourth line. Connor Mackey will be tonight’s healthy scratch.
• In the forward groupings, Adam Ruzicka looks to remain swapped off the top line but has been finding his offense again. Over the prior fifteen games he has two goals and twelve points.
• Jonathan Huberdeau will stay in the top six but remain swapped with Dillon Dube. Huberdeau is hopefully rounding into form after tacking on fifteen points over his last fifteen games. He had an assist on the OT winner against Anaheim, and previously went off with three assists against the Sharks on December 20th.

Projections:

Barring any major changes when lineups are submitted, they are projected as follows:

FORWARD 1: Dube-Lindholm-Toffoli

FORWARD 2: Huberdeau-Kadri-Lucic

FORWARD 3: Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman

FORWARD 4: Lewis-Ruzicka-Ritchie

D1: Hanifin-Andersson

D2: Tanev-Weegar

D3: Zadorov-Stone

GOALTENDERS: Markstrom (starter), Vladar(backup)