Holidays and hockey. What could be better? How about a Flames win? The boys go for one tonight in San Jose as they escape the cold for the warmth of California.
a little news to set the stage (
www.calgarysun.com)
Quote:
The Flames wrap up a five-day break between games on Thursday versus the Sharks, which is the start of a back-to-back California trip that also features a game on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. At Wednesday’s practice — Calgary’s first skate since Dec. 23 — Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan said that goalies Mike Smith and David Rittich would split the games … D Travis Hamonic skated on Wednesday and all signs are pointing to his return … This is the second of four meetings between the clubs this year. Calgary lost 3-2 at home to the Sharks on Dec. 14.
The Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks brass won’t have to leave the rink on Thursday as their American Hockey League teams clash at SAP Center prior to the evening game. Ahead of Wednesday’s action, the Stockton Heat (16-8-1-2) sit atop the Pacific Division while the San Jose Barracuda (13-11-0-2) are sitting sixth with 28 points.
Jaromir Jagr skated on Wednesday, tantalizing fans who are dying to see the 45-year-old living legend continue cementing his place in the NHL record books. Jagr has missed 14 games this season with a groin injury, limiting him to 19 contests in a Flames jersey. Officially, Jagr is still day-to-day. But he’s travelling with the team to California. The next time Jagr plays, he will equal Ron Francis for third on the NHL’s all-time games-played charts with 1,731 appearances.
Flames goaltending prospect Tyler Parsons was taking in Wednesday’s practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The 20-year-old product of Chesterfield, Mich., was injured in a game on Dec. 16 with Calgary’s ECHL affiliate, the Kansas City Mavericks. Parsons was drafted in the second round (54th overall) of the 2016 NHL entry draft and is currently playing his first season of professional hockey after three years with the London Knights. He’s 9-8-0 with a .907 save percentage and 3.08 goals against average.
Sharks' RW Barclay Goodrow was out for nearly three weeks with an upper body injury and looks close to returning to action after practising with the Sharks on Wednesday … Also skating on Wednesday was C Logan Couture who was injured on Dec. 15 but is likely not ready for game action just yet … The Sharks (19-11-4) entered Wednesday’s action in third place in the Pacific Division with 42 points and are riding a two-game win streak.
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lineups (
www.dailyfaceoff.com)
FLAMES
Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Jankowski - Hathaway
Brouwer - Stajan - Lazar
Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone
Smith
SHARKS
Hansen - Thornton - Pavelski
Donskoi - Tierney - Meier
Karlsson - Hertl - Labanc
Sorensen - Ward - Boedker
Dillon - Burns
Vlasic - Braun
Ryan - DeMelo
Jones
Putting their own spin on a pagan yuletime tradition, Our Hero and his buddies escape the chill of the Polar Vortex with a good ol' bonfire:
Go Flames