[GDT] Flames VS Devils - 5PM - 📺 @Sportsnet West 📻: @Sportsnet960

[Otto-matic]

Special night for Frolik as he'll be suiting up for his 700th career NHL game.

@Fan960Wills
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David Rittich will start in goal for #Flames vs. #Devils tonight. #CGYvsNJD

A nice Throwback Thursday to the Snowstorm in NJ. I wonder if the game was in Calgary tonight if we would see record low crowds.

Thirty years ago, on Jan, 22, 1987, a blizzard crippled the New York City area, but storm could not stop the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils from playing a regular-season game, or prevent 334 from getting to the game.

Three years ago, NHL.com took a look back at that wild, crazy night.

Here is the story:

The game between the Calgary Flames and the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 22, 1987 wasn't expected to be a historic affair. But close to two feet of snow descending on the tri-state area turned it into one of the most unusual evenings in the history of the National Hockey League.

https://www.nhl.com/news/new-jersey-...ather/c-651845


REVISED #Flames projected lines and pairings vs. #Devils:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Brouwer
Lomberg-Stajan-Hathaway

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-Hamonic
Kulak-Stone

Rittich (Starter)
Smith

#CGYvsNJD

Marek Hrivik, Curtis Lazar and Matt Bartkowski out for #Flames vs. #Devils. #CGYvsNJD

[GioforPM]

Flames trolling Lack by starting Rittich.

[Karl]

No Lazar. That's interesting.

[dissentowner]

Here comes win #3 of the 13 game winning streak

[socalwingfan]

IMO, Lazar has been more effective than Hathaway, kinda weird that he's a scratch tonight

[442scotty]

Smith sitting is no surprise since he seemed banged up after last game

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

Smith sitting is no surprise since he seemed banged up after last game

They also play tomorrow against the New York Rangers. Prob just giving Smith a night off before going 3 games in 4 nights.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

Smith sitting is no surprise since he seemed banged up after last game

Sitting on an ice pack maybe, after his nether regions were abused last game.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

IMO, Lazar has been more effective than Hathaway, kinda weird that he's a scratch tonight

He got his time cut a lot last game, which was a notch below the standard he's set for himself lately.

I wonder if GG is expecting a chippy game and wants both Hathaway and Lomberg in for that reason.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by 442scotty

Smith sitting is no surprise since he seemed banged up after last game

I didn't get to see the game. What happened?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I didn't get to see the game. What happened?

Got up slowly once (near the end of the second period IIRC) - and of course it was GG's fault for overplaying him.

Then got up slowly after the interference.

[Puppet Guy]

well, I just read that article about Eddie Lack and his unhappiness with his time as a Flame. Pretty sure that nobody misses him. Darth Puppet, for one, finds Calgary's lack of Lack comforting:

Spoiler!

Go Flams

[Lil Pedro]

I wonder if Rittich plays well if they are tempted to play him again against NYR? They need to start playing Smith more or else he's going to eclipse 70 games this season.

[bubbsy]

"Not expecting a win, but hoping for one."

The last game vs these new look devils (young, fast, as opposed to decades of regimented/boring) was a fun game to watch.

Gaudreau has been absolutely amazing the past few games, and I fully expect a few points from him tonight.

I really really want to see Bennett playing the game that makes him successful again. He seems to have disappeared again which is really unfortunate. Hopefully he rebounds tonight. Would be nice to see Jankowski getting back to his high level of play soon too.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

I wonder if Rittich plays well if they are tempted to play him again against NYR? They need to start playing Smith more or else he's going to eclipse 70 games this season.

Not a chance IMO. They won't start Rittich in a stand alone game, much less back to back.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

"Not expecting a win, but hoping for one."

The last game vs these new look devils (young, fast, as opposed to decades of regimented/boring) was a fun game to watch.

Gaudreau has been absolutely amazing the past few games, and I fully expect a few points from him tonight.

I really really want to see Bennett playing the game that makes him successful again. He seems to have disappeared again which is really unfortunate. Hopefully he rebounds tonight. Would be nice to see Jankowski getting back to his high level of play soon too.

I'm with ya I just wish Brouwer was the one inthe press box tonight not lazar. Hopefully janko and Bennett can get it going despite having that anchor attached to their right wing

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

I wonder if Rittich plays well if they are tempted to play him again against NYR? They need to start playing Smith more or else he's going to eclipse 70 games this season.

I believe there is practically no chance Rittich plays both games on consecutive days. If the Flames have avoided playing Smith in these situations, it makes no sense to play Rittich.

I agree that he is playing too much, but the solution is not running Rittich on the back-to-backs. I would much prefer seeing in addition to games in the back-to-backs that Rittich get a home game this month—like next Saturday against Florida, and another game or two on the road—like in Ottawa or Buffalo.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

I'm with ya I just wish Brouwer was the one inthe press box tonight not lazar. Hopefully janko and Bennett can get it going despite having that anchor attached to their right wing

For what it's worth, that was definitely true before but not as of right now.

Brouwer has been playing much better of late. He has not been the problem with that line recently. It's Bennett & Janko that have sputtered badly over their last few games.

If anyone should be sitting this one out it's Hathaway IMO.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Tonight, my son is my enemy. GFG!

[Party Elephant]

Please start Lack, Devils. He has something to prove.

That something is that he's not an NHL goaltender.