[GDT] Flames @ Red Wings, 5:30 Pm MST. Sportsnet, Fan 960

[Puppet Guy]

rolling in to ol' Detroit tonight, the Flames look to rebound from the disappointing loss Friday night.

(from http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...s-at-red-wings)

How They Match Up
Forwards — Flames
Scoring goals has been difficult for the Red Wings as of late and the Flames’ new-look top line is heating up.
Defence — Flames
They’ll be prepared after limiting the damage of Kane and Co. on Friday.
Goaltending — Flames
Despite Friday’s loss, Chad Johnson is still in a groove.
Power Play — Red Wings
The Flames are 0-for-eight in their last two games. Gonna have to go with the Red Wings on this one.
Penalty Kill — Flames
Before allowing one PPG on Friday, Calgary’s PK was perfect in three straight games.
Intangibles — Red Wings
Three straight losses will do wonders for a team’s motivation.
Overall — Red Wings
This feels like the perfect time for Calgary to lay an egg.

Set-up notes
With Friday’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Capitals, the Red Wings have now lost three straight games and its the third time they’ve been shutout this season … G Jimmy Howard made 27 saves … They are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games … Detroit is averaging 2.33 goals per game (heading into Saturday’s action, that was 24th in the league) which is only slightly better than Calgary at 2.26 goals per game … “Part of it is confidence,” head coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit News. “When you’re scoring you feel good about yourself and playing with a ton of confidence and moxie. When you’re not scoring, it works the other way.” The Red Wings’ power play is 16.4 per cent (16th in the league) while their PK is 77.8 per cent (tied with Dallas for 26th in the league) … Detroit’s 28.1 shots per game average is the second-worst in the NHL … The Red Wings are 51.6 per cent on face-offs (seventh-best in the league) while Calgary is 50.8 per cent on average in the face-off dot … Calgary is embarking on its longest road trip of the year — a six game trek through the Eastern Conference with dates at Detroit, Buffalo, Columbus, Boston, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

Injuries

LW Johnny Gaudreau is in sick bay for the next six weeks with a broken finger and underwent surgery on Wednesday. Flames are still without LW Lance Bouma (shoulder) and RW Kris Versteeg (groin), but Versteeg could return to action on Sunday. The Red Wings are without C Darren Helm (shoulder), C Andreas Athanasiou (knee injury) and LW Thomas Vanek (lower body).


Projected Lineups (from www.dailyfaceoff.com)

Flames

Bennett-Monahan-Brouwer
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Stajan-Vey-Chiasson
Ferland-F Hamilton-Hathaway

Giordano-D Hamilton
Brodie-Wideman
Kulak-Engelland

Johnson (unconfirmed)

Red Wings

Nyquist-Zetterberg-Mantha
Larkin-Nielsen-Vanek
Tatar-Sheahan-Abdelkader
Ott-Glendening-Miller

DeKeyser-Green
Ericsson-Marchenko
Kronwall-Sproul

Howard (unconfirmed)

and as we're playing in Detroit, That Darn Puppet thinks it appropriate to host a seafood feast. Steamed octopus, anyone?:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

[Ashasx]

Roger Millions ‏@RogMillions
Coach Gulutzan holding court at centre ice away from media. Speculating he isn't pleased with the morning skate so far.

Why is this a common occurrence?

[devo22]

FlamesNation ‏@FlamesNation
Mikael Backlund plays his 400th game tonight http://dlvr.it/Mj9wgG

Where R U, Where R U Chris O'Sullivan?

[Samiz]

Fun fact: How many past Flames first round picks made the club and then survived long enough to get to 400 games? Four, with Backlund making it five.

Tom Lysiak – Atlanta's first rounder in 1973
Paul Reinhart – Atlanta's first rounder in 1979
Al MacInnis – Calgary's first rounder in 1981
Gary Roberts – Calgary's first rounder in 1984

Wow that is actually quite astounding. I imagine at least Mony and Bennett will be added to the list from the current roster

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by Samiz

Wow that is actually quite astounding. I imagine at least Mony and Bennett will be added to the list from the current roster

I think Brodie is most likely of all remaining roster players. 45 more games

[devo22]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

I think Brodie is most likely of all remaining roster players. 45 more games

he's not a 1st rounder.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

I think Brodie is most likely of all remaining roster players. 45 more games

*if he doesn't get slashed out of the league

[Neeper]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

I think Brodie is most likely of all remaining roster players. 45 more games

Brodie wasn't a first rounder though.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Originally Posted by devo22

he's not a 1st rounder.

Huh, missed that. My bad. That makes a lot more sense now!

[Gaskal]

1.) The Glendening line sucks

2.) The Wings are putrid at 5v5

So, play every line except for Vey Stajan Chiasson vs the Glendening line, do the usual thing and we're good right? Hopefully the refs don't #### us over too much?

[devo22]

Projected lines from the Flames website. Shinkaruk is in instead of Vey. Fourth start in a row for Johnson (confirmed by Gulutzan).

FORWARDS

Sam Bennett - Sean Monahan - Troy Brouwer
Matthew Tkachuk - Mikael Backlund - Michael Frolik
Hunter Shinkaruk - Matt Stajan - Alex Chiasson
Micheal Ferland - Freddie Hamilton - Garnet Hathaway

DEFENCE

Mark Giordano - Dougie Hamilton
TJ Brodie - Dennis Wideman
Brett Kulak - Deryk Engelland

GOALTENDER

Chad Johnson

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Roger Millions ‏@RogMillions
Coach Gulutzan holding court at centre ice away from media. Speculating he isn't pleased with the morning skate so far.

Why is this a common occurrence?

I'm more concerned (?) that this team is being coached through the media. Every complaint made or echoed online is corrected by the coaching staff almost immediately. I mean they've all been the right moves, it's just weird.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I'm more concerned (?) that this team is being coached through the media. Every complaint made or echoed online is corrected by the coaching staff almost immediately. I mean they've all been the right moves, it's just weird.

[locsofblu]

Like to see Vey and Shinkurik sent back to Stockton.

[btimbit]

Play like they did the last few games and this will be a good game.

But please, PLEASE GG, just use the top two lines as the PP lines.

[direwolf]

I never have a good feeling going into Detroit. Flames always seem to get hosed by the refs in that building.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I'm more concerned (?) that this team is being coached through the media. Every complaint made or echoed online is corrected by the coaching staff almost immediately. I mean they've all been the right moves, it's just weird.

Just wait until Frolik shows up on the 2nd PP unit!

[Jaydee]

*1st round picks

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Samiz

Wow that is actually quite astounding. I imagine at least Mony and Bennett will be added to the list from the current roster

Phaneuf made it to 378 games before getting shipped out to Toronto.

[frodo_t_baggins]

By my count stillman was at 393 before heading off to st louis.