Flames @ Knights 8pm MT CITY/SN1/SN960

[SmoggyFlamesFan]

The Flames have never won in T-mobile arena, and are hoping to buck that trend tonight with a date against the Knights. This will be the first time our local heroes face off against Mark Stone and a pretty talented Knights team that is considered to be among the best in the Pacific Division. Should be a good one. If the Flames can finish the roadtrip strong, the turtle will be nice and fat before Thanksgiving Monday. Oh, and I am 1-0 for GDT's this year. Let's keep that trend going, boys! Go Flames go!

See flames.com's five things about the matchup tonight!


Season Series:#2-2-0

All-Time Head-to-Head:#3-5-0

Leading Scorers:

Flames:

Points -#Johnny Gaudreau#(6)
Goals - Gaudreau,#Sean Monahan,#Matthew Tkachuk,#Noah Hanifin#(2)

Golden Knights:

Points - Mark Stone (6)
Goals - Reilly Smith (3)

Advanced Stats:

Flames:

Shot Attempts: 48.90% (19th)
High-Danger Chances: 48.15% (19th)

Golden Knights:

Shot Attempts: 50.45% (14th)
High-Danger Chances: 60.34% (4th)

#


1. US

The Flames are at the halfway point of a three-game road trip, which kicked off Thursday with a 3-2, come-from-behind shootout victory over the Dallas Stars.

Elias Lindholm#and#Noah Hanifin#had third-period goals for the Flames, who surrendered the first two tallies of the game and had to play catch-up.#Johnny Gaudreau#scored the shootout winner, while#David Rittich#stopped two of the three snipers he faced in the breakaway competition - this, after making a gargantuan stop off Alexander Radulov, who was awarded a penalty shot late in 3-on-3 overtime.

Rittich stopped 34 shots in all to secure the victory. The win snapped a nine-game skid in the shootout, with Calgary's last triumph coming back on Nov. 5, 2017.

"We know we can score," captain#Mark Giordanosaid of the comeback. "I think, in the second, we got in trouble because we were turning over the puck and it felt like they were playing a half-court game against us. But it was really just about managing the puck well, and once we started doing that..."

With the two points on board, there was no rest for the wicked.

Despite a three-hour flight and a 1:45 a.m. arrival into Sin City (3:45 a.m. Dallas time), the Flames were back on the ice and right back to work Friday as they hit the sheet for a brisk 45-minute-long practice at City National Arena in Summerlin, Nevada.

The powerplay was the focus of the day, with no indication as to whether or not there will be any lineup changes.

The starting goaltender has yet to be confirmed.

The Flames are hoping their luck turns in Vegas' home barn - a building they've yet to win at, dropping the four previous in front of the boisterous home crowd.

"It's#loud,"#Matthew Tkachuk#said of the vibe at T-Mobile Arena. "It's a playoff atmosphere every time we're here, even in the regular season. They seem to really feed (off that), so we've got to limit the chances, limit the momentum swings and give a good, hard 60 minutes, if not more."

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2. THEM

The Knights are coming off a 4-1 road loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, and have now lost two straight after opening the season with a pair of wins over the San Jose Sharks.

Shea Theodore#had Vegas' lone goal, while#Marc-Andre Fleury#stopped 13 of 15 shots in relief.

Malcolm Subban#got the start, but left after the first period with a lower-body injury. The netminder remains day-to-day, and the Knights will recall another puck-stopper to back up Fleury this evening.

The Knights are a banged-up group, with#Cody Eakin,#Alex Tuch,#Nate Schmidt#and now Subban, all out due to injury.

The Knights are largely the same team this year, but with one, wildly exciting addition having arrived as advertised. Rookie centreman Cody Glass has points in three of his first four games, and is averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time early in his NHL career.

"I love his work ethic," Knights coach Gerard Gallantsaid Friday. "When we drafted him a couple years ago, he was a skinny kid. He's still a skinny kid, but he's getting stronger, he's playing harder and he's trying to play a 200-foot game. I really like what he's brought to us. His development over the last couple years is really good. You like those talented, skilled kids with good hockey IQ, but I really like his work ethic. I know he's got the skill, the talent's all there, but I really like the way he competes.

"He's still a young kid, but he's getting better every day.

The No. 6 pick in the 2017 Draft scored in his league debut and is currently centering the third line with Brandon Pirri and Valentin Zykov.



3. US VS. THEM

This is the first of four meetings between these two teams, and the first of a pair to be held in Vegas over the next month. Last year, the Flames earned a split with their Pacific counterparts, winning twice at the Scotiabank Saddledome, but losing both at T-Mobile Arena.

The Flames outscored the Knights 14-5 in the four-game set, with Matthew Tkachuk going off, recording five goals and nine points to lead all skaters in head-to-head scoring.

Four others -#Sean Monahan,#Mikael Backlund#,#Johnny Gaudreau#and#Michael Frolik#- were all point-per-game players in the season series as well.

Following tonight's game, the Flames and Knights will hook up once again on desert ice on Nov. 11, before the scene shifts to Calgary for the final two, Mar. 8 and Apr. 2, 2020.

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4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER

THIS:#The Flames are entering their first back-to-back situation this year, as they will take on the San Jose Sharks on Sunday to finish up a three-game trip. The group posted a record of 9-1-0 in the first game of a back-to-back situation last year; they were 5-5-0 in the back half. ...#THAT:#Recording an assist in Thursday's win over the Stars,#Mikael Backlund#moved into a tie for seventh in road points (143) as a centre in Flames franchise history. Backlund is tied with#Daymond Langkow#and trails#Craig Conroy#by three points. ...#THE OTHER:#Vegas forward#Mark Stone#is the younger brother of Flames defenceman#Michael Stone#.

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5. PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - Noah Hanifin

With goals in back-to-back games, Hanifin is off to a strong start offensively. The 22-year-old is currently on pace to shatter the five he scored with the Flames last year, as well as the career-high 10 he had during the 2017-18 campaign as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. The Boston native enters the contest averaging 21:49 in ice time this season.

Golden Knights - Mark Stone

Stone has picked up where he left off last year, scoring six points (2G, 4A) in the first four games. He'll line up on right wing with#Paul Stastny#in the middle and#Max Pacioretty#on his opposite flank.

[kukkudo]

These are the types of games that I consider big. Divisional rival steal two points from them and it kinda helps down the road.

[442scotty]

We are just what Vegas needs to get back on track unfortunately..... Calgary is going to have to play their absolute best if they want a chance to win this one.

[GioforPM]

Flames got a win in Dallas, which they hadn’t done in years (longer than Vegas has existed IIRC). Time to kill the Vegas losing streak.

[Tron_fdc]

I’ve been to a bunch of CALGARY Vegas games in LV and have (obviously) never seen a win.

I’m not there and neither is my brother, who is the worst luck talisman on the planet.

Guaranteed win night.

[Vinny01]

My first game in Vegas tonight so I am pumped. Go Flames Go!!!

[Enoch Root]

These GDTs are awesome, thanks SmoggyFlamesFan!

I think to start this trip, most people would have agreed that getting 3 points out of the 6 would have made it a success. We already have 2, so let's go get some more.

Tough place to get points though.

[Nsd1]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Hanifin in the the second power play unit.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I’ve been to a bunch of CALGARY Vegas games in LV and have (obviously) never seen a win.

I’m not there and neither is my brother, who is the worst luck talisman on the planet.

Guaranteed win night.

I am in the same boat, and also decided to not go today, in order to help the team.

Hopefully, our sacrifices are not in vain!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Nsd1

Wouldn’t mind seeing Hanifin in the the second power play unit.

Agreed. His shot is a real threat. I like Brodie, but not on the PP (unless there are 2 Dmen), because he never shoots and the PKers know it.

Lucic
Backlund, Bennett/Dube
Hanifin, Andersson

[TheScorpion]

Kind of want to see Lucic on the first unit and Tkachuk on the second but I doubt it'll happen

[SportsJunky]

I don’t mind Lucic on the 1st PP as long as he has been studying Neal up north. Screen the goalie and pick up the garbage. That should be right in Lucic’s wheelhouse.

[Jeff Lebowski]

VGK have good players and these divisional rivalry games are great tests. CGY have to continue their great play and effort. Great start, fast and physical, disciplined, where they move the puck quickly: exit clean and then make plays.

CGY has been building, getting better and better and I’m excited to see them step up to this challenge in an exciting setting! How good can they be - let’s see CGY abilities. GFG!!!

[direwolf]

Please win.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

My first game in Vegas tonight so I am pumped. Go Flames Go!!!

Have fun! Our first out of town game was in Vegas. Super weird but super fun watching the Flames play somewhere other than the dome.

We got destroyed but it was a fun night.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Nsd1

Wouldn’t mind seeing Hanifin in the the second power play unit.

I think that's where it's going.

He'll be at the top of the umbrella feeding Andersson for one timers.

What they really need is a better right side left shooting option. Like most NHL teams the depth doesn't really stretch on to PP2

[Enoch Root]

I forgot about Mangiapane - he could be the trigger man on PP2:

Lucic
Andersson - Backlund - Mangipane
Hanifin

this has to be better than what is currently happening

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Kind of want to see Lucic on the first unit and Tkachuk on the second but I doubt it'll happen

I get the thinking, but the second unit gets very little time in the ordinary course of events, so that’s not a good use of Tkachuk.

[Redliner]

Go Flams.

[Nsd1]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1183080499310448643

Rittich should start tonight.


Also it’s Sean Monahans 25th birthday today, tomorrow’s game might be bad.