Morning everyone. Great game last night that I was unable to watch due to a wedding. I didn't get in until 3 A.M. and I had a few cocktails, so I'm going to be lazy and leave the preview to NHL.com
Quote:
Season series: The Calgary Flames are making their only visit of the season to Pepsi Center. They defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in overtime at Scotiabank Saddledome on Dec. 4. Defenseman Dennis Wideman tied the game with 1:17 left in regulation, and Sean Monahan won it 1:47 into OT.
Flames team scope: Calgary continues to thrive despite the loss of captain and No. 1 defenseman Mark Giordano, who's out for the season with a torn biceps muscle sustained in late February. The Flames are 5-1-1 without Giordano after rolling over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Friday to move into second place in the Pacific Division. The line of Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Jiri Hudler combined for four goals and nine points. "They're responsible, they're playing the right way, and it's as simple as this," coach Bob Hartley said. "They're picking up tons of points playing the right way, and that's why we're winning games." The Flames blew the game open by scoring two shorthanded goals, one by Monahan, while killing a five-minute penalty in the first period.
Avalanche team scope: Time is running out on Colorado's hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Avalanche are battling to the end. Colorado enters its final home game before a five-game road trip with a 4-1-0 record this month, including a 2-1 shootout victory against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Avalanche are six points behind the Los Angeles Kings, who hold the second wild card in the Western Conference. "Every point is crucial right now," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche website. "It doesn’t change anything to our objective; [our] objective remains the same. We just need to be ready for Calgary right now." Goalie Semyon Varlamov is expected to start; Reto Berra will be his backup after Calvin Pickard was returned to Lake Erie of the American Hockey League on Friday.
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Roster Notes: Jooris was a late scratch last night for the Flames, and at this point it's assumed that he's not playing at 100%. Smid is done for the year due to a neck/vertebrae injury that is in an area of previous surgery. Douglas Murray is skating with the team as a depth insurance policy for the regular season only. No word on Byron's return. Bouma might get a review for a suspension, but he should play tonight until that's decided. Ramo gets the start tonight. For the Avs, Erik Johnson and Nathan MacKinnon are out long term, joining the ranks as such depth players like Jamie McGinn, Ryan Wilson, and Jesse Winchester. Pickard was returned to the AHL and Varlamov should be the starter, while Berra is the backup.
Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Bouma?-Backlund-Jones
Raymond-Shore-Colborne
Bollig-Stajan-Ferland
Russell-Wideman
Brodie-Engelland
Schlemko-Diaz
Ramo
Avalanche
Landeskog-O'Reilly-McLeod
Caron-Duchene-Iginla
Tanguay-Cliche-Everberg
Hamilton-Mitchell-Briere
Guenin-Barrie
Hejda-Redmond
Stuart-Holden
Varlamov
Go Flames Go!!! ...ouch...that made my head hurt.