[GDT] Flames vs Canucks, 8:00 MST. Hockey Night in Canada, Fan 960

[Puppet Guy]

It's a wildcard battle tonight in Calgary! The 15-12-2 Flames host the 14-11-4 Canucks on Hockey Night in Canada.

Some game day news (courtesy of www.calgarysun.com)

It’s been a while since Sven Baertschi was a member of the Calgary Flames organization (remember those three goals in five games of 2012?). But he still always manages to amp up his game in the Scotiabank Saddledome. He also hasn’t scored in eight games. Going up against Brett Kulak, potentially, is an interesting battle as the two of them represent the former Flames management and their drafting style. Kulak, a 2012 draft pick of the Flames, has quietly gained confidence this 2017-18 campaign, proving every day that he belongs in the NHL.

Calgary Flames goalie Mike Smith is one game away from 500 regular season games in his National Hockey League career. Of course, the 35-year-old from Kingston, Ont., played six seasons worth (312 games) with the Arizona Coyotes. But 25 of them, so far, have been with the Flames. Smith has an overall record of 207-207-62 record, a 2.70 goals against average and .913 save percentage. With the Flames, he’s 12-9-2 with a 2.71 goals against average and .918 save percentage with two shutouts.

At the National Hockey League’s board of governors meetings in Florida, Trevor Linden, the president of the Vancouver Canucks, said their club welcomes the NHL’s consideration of expanding into Seattle. Although it’s still in its’ infancy stages, Vancouver is roughly 230 kilometres away from Seattle which could open doors for a new rivalry between the teams. “For us, it’s a natural,” Linden told Canadian Press.

Flames forward Curtis Lazar played his 200th NHL game in Montreal, while TJ Brodie is three points away from 200 in his NHL career which spans over 447 NHL games … D Mark Giordano (702) needs 10 more games to pass Jim Peplinski (711) in games played for the Flames. Currently, Giordano sits seventh all-time …the Flames travelled home from Montreal on Thursday night and enjoyed a day-off Friday … Following Saturday’s clash, the Flames head to Minnesota on Monday for Tuesday’s clash at Xcel Energy Center.

LW Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 12 goals and 25 assists in 29 games, good for a three-way tie for third in the NHL with 37 points. Meanwhile, C Sean Monahan leads the Flames with 17 goals which is tied with John Tavares for third in the NHL … Monahan sits tied for 19th in the NHL with 17 goals and 13 assists and 30th points.

Canucks prospect Jordan Subban was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings late Thursday. The deal saw forward Nic Dowd head to the Canucks. The 27-year-old played in 16 games for the Kings this season, registering one assist. Meanwhile Subban, the 22-year-old defenceman and younger brother of Nashville Predators d-man P.K. Suburban and Vegas Golden Knights goalie Malcolm, has five assists and 13 penalty minutes for Utica of the American Hockey League.

Lineups, unconfirmed and subject to blending (www.dailyfaceoff.com)

FLAMES

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Jankowski - Hathaway
F Hamilton - Stajan - Lazar

Giordano - D Hamilton
Brodie - Hamonic
Kulak - Stone

Smith (unconfirmed)

CANUCKS

D Sedin - H Sedin - Goldobin
Baertschi - Gagner - Boeser
Chaput - Burmistrov - Eriksson
Gaunce - Granlund - Virtainen

Edler - Tanev
Del Zotto - Pouliot
Hutton - Stetcher

Markstrom (unconfirmed)

The Flames have seen a lot of Canadiana this week, what with match-ups against Toronto, Montreal and now Vancouver. And with a HNIC audience, Our Hero pays tribute by dragging out the Northern stereotype of the good ol' lumber camp fight:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

[ForeverFlameFan]

Limit the mistakes, and pretty sure Markstrom won’t be in God mode this time around. Flames win by 2 w/ empty netter.

[Heavy Jack]

Bday game for me!! The big 29!

9-2 tonight boys and gals!!

Gaudreau x 3
Janko
Bennett
Jagr
Monahan x 2
Tkachuk

[81MC]

Taking a Canucks 'fan' whose never been. Let's hope they have nothing to cheer for. GFG.

[scotty2hotty]

No Brouwer??

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

No Brouwer??

PuppetGuy probably just forgot, I don't think he's out for tonight.

[Erick Estrada]

I feel better that this is on the road as their last three road games have been as good defensively as any this season and I don't want to harp on the coach all the time but under Gulutzan the team really hasn't played well against it's Western Canadian rivals. Time for this team to step on the throats of the Oilers and Canucks as they aren't going to go anywhere if they can't take care of business against two lesser rivals that they have to play five times a season.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by jayswin

PuppetGuy probably just forgot, I don't think he's out for tonight.

dont ruin this for me.

[Toonage]

Eric: Home game

[TheAlpineOracle]

I reallly like having Jágr on this team but damn I’m sick Of him being injured every second night.

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I feel better that this is on the road as their last three road games have been as good defensively as any this season and I don't want to harp on the coach all the time but under Gulutzan the team really hasn't played well against it's Western Canadian rivals. Time for this team to step on the throats of the Oilers and Canucks as they aren't going to go anywhere if they can't take care of business against two lesser rivals that they have to play five times a season.

Completely agree. Under GG we've sucked vs Oilers & Nucks. I can't stand it anymore. Something better change and it better be quick. I'm tired of always losing to our western canadian rivals.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Eric: Home game

I stand corrected. I've been busy at work lately and normally I would have got offers for tickets and I didn't. I now don't feel as good about this game.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I stand corrected. I now don't feel as good about this game.

Lol sorry

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by jayswin

PuppetGuy probably just forgot, I don't think he's out for tonight.

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

dont ruin this for me.

Much as I'd also like to forget about Brouwer, it's just the site that I got the line-ups from. I'm sure SureLoss will bring us confirmed line-ups later today.

[getbak]

Barring any last-minute changes, tonight's game will feature the Flames' 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016 first round draft picks. Plus, players who were acquired in exchange for the Flames' 2015 and 2018 first round picks. Also, a player who was drafted with a pick the Flames received in exchange for their 2009 first round pick.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Stanley

Completely agree. Under GG we've sucked vs Oilers & Nucks. I can't stand it anymore. Something better change and it better be quick. I'm tired of always losing to our western canadian rivals.

I think it's a strong implication he doesn't do well against opponents who have planned specifically how to beat us.

[skcli]

Brower will be in the line up as we need him in our no. 1 PP unit. He is hot, and on pace to 2.8 goals

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I feel better that this is on the road as their last three road games have been as good defensively as any this season and I don't want to harp on the coach all the time but under Gulutzan the team really hasn't played well against it's Western Canadian rivals. Time for this team to step on the throats of the Oilers and Canucks as they aren't going to go anywhere if they can't take care of business against two lesser rivals that they have to play five times a season.

Well, this is not really accurate, and these sorts of exaggerations make it appear as though "harping on the coach" is precisely your intent. It is true that Gulutzan's Flames's have been abysmal in games against the Edmonton Oilers, but in 11 games against their other two Western Canadian rivals—the Canucks and Jets, the Flames are 6–3–2, with winning records against both of them.

The Flames get the bounces to make up for the last time they hosted Vancouver.

GFG

[brzeisk13]

Isn’t Boeser out as well? Boeser out, Brouwer out, I’m okay with that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Well, this is not really accurate, and these sorts of exaggerations make it appear as though "harping on the coach" is precisely your intent. It is true that Gulutzan's Flames's have been abysmal in games against the Edmonton Oilers, but in 11 games against their other two Western Canadian rivals—the Canucks and Jets, the Flames are 6–3–2, with winning records against both of them.

The Flames get the bounces to make up for the last time they hosted Vancouver.

GFG

Why did you feel the need to throw in an out of division team like the Jets in? You are kind of guilty of changing the goal posts to make a phoney argument to discredit the truth in that the Flames have not played well against the Canucks and Oilers under Gulutzan. I even threw in the games against them in my comment to ensure that you couldn't include a team like the Jets but you just can't help but be the forum apologist for the organization. Bad post by your standards IMO.