[GDT] Tonight! Live from the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Flames take on The Kings.

[Otto-matic]

Puck Drop is at 8PM Tonight. (Blegh late games)

Hopefully the Flames are actually prepared to show up tonight. Statement game tonight for the good guys, they can't fall back to mediocre, inconsistent hockey anymore. I expect a big game from the leaders on the team, its a massive 2 points on the line.

Kings will be angry that they got manhandled against the Nucks last night. Flames usually line up well against the Kings so hopefully that trend continues.



Lineups should come at around 10AM.

In hindsight, the Flames’ bye week couldn’t have come at a worse time. With seven straight victories, the Flames were finding ways to win, building confidence and momentum and quickly climbing up the Pacific Division and Western Conference standings. But a five-day break between games seems to have taken the wind out of the team’s sails. The Flames have looked a little out of sync since returning to the ice, a problem they’ll have to solve sooner rather than later if they’re going to stay in a playoff position and remain in control of their own destiny.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/f...sync-bye-week/

[Toonage]

Flames should be paying the Kings rent for living in their heads.

This is likely to be a physical game which should mean the Flames are more engaged and more likely to play to their potential, if not to level of their opponent.

Flames take this one 4-2

[Puppet Guy]

Losing to Buffalo stunk, but it's another day and another game. The Kings come to town tonight, and the Flames look to knock 'em off the throne.

There's not a lot of news this morning, so the set-up comes from www.ottawacitizen.com, of all places:

During their junior days as teammates with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, Tyler Toffoli filled the net and Sean Monahan did most of his damage as a set-up man. At the NHL level, both have proven to be marquee marksman. The 23-year-old Monahan has buried 21 times for the Flames this season, his fifth consecutive 20-goal campaign. Toffoli, 25, recently hit triple digits in big-league lamp-lightings. When the Kings arrived in Vancouver for Tuesday’s late date, he was tied for his team lead with 18 tallies.

This is exactly what Flames fans feared — that the local hockey heroes would lose their momentum during their four-day bye. The Flames had rolled to seven straight victories before their vacations but have settled for a pair of loser points in two out-of-sync showings since — Saturday’s shootout setback to the Winnipeg Jets and Monday’s overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres. On a positive note, the Flames are still riding a nine-game point spree.

It’s hardly been a Happy New Year for Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick & Co. Heading into Tuesday’s clash against the Vancouver Canucks, the Kings had struggled to a 2-6-0 record since the calendar flipped to 2018. They finally snapped a six-game losing skid with Sunday’s 4-2 doubling of the New York Rangers. A month ago, the Kings topped the Pacific Division standings. That lofty perch now belongs to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.

These rivals have already hooked up twice this season, with the Flames winning both battles — a 4-3 overtime triumph at Staples Center in October and a 4-3 regulation victory earlier this month at the Saddledome. The Flames’ top-line tandem of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan have combined for eight points in those contests. On the other side, resurgent right-winger Dustin Brown has two markers and a pair of assists.

Line-ups (www.dailyfaceoff.com). Totally unconfirmed and subject to change

FLAMES

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Brouwer
Bennett - Jankowski - Hathaway
Hrivik - Stajan - Lazar

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone

Rittich (unconfirmed)

(I assume they'll save Smith for tomorrow against Edmonton)

KINGS

Iafallo - Kopitar - Brown
Pearson - Kempe - Toffoli
Gaborik - Amadio - Lewis
Clifford - Shore - Mitchell

Forbort - Doughty
Muzzin - Martinez
Gravel - Folin

Kuemper (unconfirmed)

(Kuemper is also a guess, since Quick played in a 6-2 loss last night to Vancouver. Derek Forbort was injured last night, and may be a scratch)

And yeah, we all know this one's a biggie and the Flames gotta take the two points. "Regicide" is the operative word. That Darn Puppet and his pals suit up for a little fun:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

[Huntingwhale]

I feel like the Flames have had the Kings number recently. Wouldn't be surprised if this game went to OT yet again.

Brown vs Gio
Doughty vs Tkachuk
Toffoli vs Monahan
Quick vs Smith (hot head vs hot head)

Some good match ups tonight. Here's hoping for a big win tonight so the team can carry that momentum into Edmonton tomorrow.

[Flames1217]

Hate saying this but this is pretty much a must win. Cant lose to these teams who are right on our tails.

[EldrickOnIce]

Strongly approve of inclusion of regicide in above artwork, Puppet Guy.

[squirtle]

If we can beat the kings in regulation we can distance ourselves 3 points from them which would be huge.

[btimbit]

Big 4 point game. Start another winning streak tonight!

[Otto-matic]

Here's the question. Do you start Rittich or go with Smith for tonight and see if he can go B2B? With the All Star Break (Blegh already) the Flames don't play until Tuesday.

The break combined with the All Star break couldn't have come at a worse time. Flames get their legs back hopefully only to go on another break and play against Vegas when its over.

[Lil Pedro]

This is a must win game...need to put distance between us and the kings.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Here's the question. Do you start Rittich or go with Smith for tonight and see if he can go B2B? With the All Star Break (Blegh already) the Flames don't play until Tuesday.

Smith has been stellar. He starts tonight. As much as we all hate the Oilers, this is the more important game.

[kukkudo]

Get the W tonight cause they probably will lose tomorrow.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Get the W tonight cause they probably will lose tomorrow.

Sadly....this.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by kukkudo

Get the W tonight cause they probably will lose tomorrow.

Boo this man.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Boo this man.

What part of 0-5-1 inspires you with confidence?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Locke

What part of 0-5-1 inspires you with confidence?

It is a new game

[kukkudo]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Boo this man.

McDavid is the Flames new kryptonite.

[Toonage]

Not to look forward to tomorrow already but yeah, I'd hate to see Rogers Place become the new Honda Centre. Haven't won there yet, so get ahead of this!

Consider this a sneak preview into tomorrow's GDT

[Robbob]

LA first and then we can think about the tire fire up north.

[Vinny01]

Smith tonight and Rittich tomorrow or do we play Rittich tonight and Smith tomorrow since Smith is such a road beast?