Here we go. Back at it.
http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...-boston-bruins
How They Match Up
Forwards — Bruins
Flames missing their top gun.
Defence — Flames
Bruins likely missing their best back-ender.
Goaltending — Bruins
But we’re changing our answer if they rest Rask.
Power Play — Bruins
Flames pulling up rear in NHL’s power-play rankings.
Penalty Kill — Bruins
Especially good at home, with an 88.9% kill rate.
Intangibles — Flames
B’s could be bagged after late return from Ottawa.
Overall — Bruins
But it feels foolish to bet against Johnson right now.
Set-up notes
Flames RW Kris Versteeg made an early exit from Thursday’s practice and although Glen Gulutzan didn’t have an update when he chatted with reporters, Calgary’s head coach admitted, “I don’t think that’s a good sign when you leave practice halfway through.” If Versteeg is shelved, expect a call-up from AHL Stockton … There will likely be a big void on the Bruins’ blue-line for Friday’s clash. Towering captain Zdeno Chara suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Blues, missed Thursday’s outing in Ottawa and, according to head coach Claude Julien, is “pretty doubtful” to face the Flames. The Bruins are expected to update his status Friday. “We’re going to have to have everybody step up. We just lost our best defender,” Julien said of Chara’s absence. “Teams hate playing against him, and that’s the kind of impact he’s got. There’s no individual that’s going to step up and do his job. We’re going to have to do it as a group.” If that sounds familiar, the by-committee approach is exactly what the Flames have been preaching while LW Johnny Gaudreau recovers from surgery on a broken finger … Flames G Chad Johnson has a history in Beantown after serving as G Tuukka Rask’s backup during the 2013-14 campaign. Johnson had a sparkling 17-4-3 record that winter, including a couple of shutouts. He equalled that career-high with his second goose-egg of the season in Wednesday’s 2-0 blanking of the Columbus Blue Jackets … Rask has been spectacular this season, but with the Bruins finishing off a back-to-back against the Flames, it’s possible the 29-year-old stalwart will get a night off Friday … The Flames have just one victory — a shootout triumph in March 2015 — in their past five trips to Boston.
Injuries
Flames: RW Kris Versteeg’s status is uncertain. LW Lance Bouma (shoulder) and LW Johnny Gaudreau (broken finger) are out.
Bruins: D Kevan Millar (hand) and RW David Pastrnak (undisclosed) returned to action in Ottawa. D Zdeno Chara (lower body) is doubtful, while C Noel Acciari (lower body) and LW Frank Vatrano (foot) are out.
projected lineups (from
www.dailyfaceoff.com)
Flames
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Versteeg-Monahan-Brouwer
Bennett-Stajan-Chiasson
Ferland-F Hamilton-Hathaway
Giordano-D Hamilton
Brodie-Wideman
Kulak-Engelland
Johnson (unconfirmed)
Bruins
Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Beleskey-Krejci-Backes
Spooner-Nash-Czarnik
Schaller-Moore-Hayes
Liles-Carlo
Krug-McQuaid
Morrow-Miller
Rask (unconfirmed)
...and as this week is Thanksgiving down south, eating and sharing food is the order of the day:
Go Flames