[GDT] Flames @ Bruins, 5:30 pm MST, Sportsnet West, Fan 960

[Puppet Guy]

Here we go. Back at it.

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...-boston-bruins

How They Match Up

Forwards — Bruins

Flames missing their top gun.

Defence — Flames

Bruins likely missing their best back-ender.

Goaltending — Bruins

But we’re changing our answer if they rest Rask.

Power Play — Bruins

Flames pulling up rear in NHL’s power-play rankings.

Penalty Kill — Bruins

Especially good at home, with an 88.9% kill rate.

Intangibles — Flames

B’s could be bagged after late return from Ottawa.

Overall — Bruins

But it feels foolish to bet against Johnson right now.

Set-up notes

Flames RW Kris Versteeg made an early exit from Thursday’s practice and although Glen Gulutzan didn’t have an update when he chatted with reporters, Calgary’s head coach admitted, “I don’t think that’s a good sign when you leave practice halfway through.” If Versteeg is shelved, expect a call-up from AHL Stockton … There will likely be a big void on the Bruins’ blue-line for Friday’s clash. Towering captain Zdeno Chara suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Blues, missed Thursday’s outing in Ottawa and, according to head coach Claude Julien, is “pretty doubtful” to face the Flames. The Bruins are expected to update his status Friday. “We’re going to have to have everybody step up. We just lost our best defender,” Julien said of Chara’s absence. “Teams hate playing against him, and that’s the kind of impact he’s got. There’s no individual that’s going to step up and do his job. We’re going to have to do it as a group.” If that sounds familiar, the by-committee approach is exactly what the Flames have been preaching while LW Johnny Gaudreau recovers from surgery on a broken finger … Flames G Chad Johnson has a history in Beantown after serving as G Tuukka Rask’s backup during the 2013-14 campaign. Johnson had a sparkling 17-4-3 record that winter, including a couple of shutouts. He equalled that career-high with his second goose-egg of the season in Wednesday’s 2-0 blanking of the Columbus Blue Jackets … Rask has been spectacular this season, but with the Bruins finishing off a back-to-back against the Flames, it’s possible the 29-year-old stalwart will get a night off Friday … The Flames have just one victory — a shootout triumph in March 2015 — in their past five trips to Boston.

Injuries

Flames: RW Kris Versteeg’s status is uncertain. LW Lance Bouma (shoulder) and LW Johnny Gaudreau (broken finger) are out.

Bruins: D Kevan Millar (hand) and RW David Pastrnak (undisclosed) returned to action in Ottawa. D Zdeno Chara (lower body) is doubtful, while C Noel Acciari (lower body) and LW Frank Vatrano (foot) are out.

projected lineups (from www.dailyfaceoff.com)

Flames

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

Giordano-D Hamilton
Brodie-Wideman
Kulak-Engelland

Johnson (unconfirmed)

Bruins

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Beleskey-Krejci-Backes
Spooner-Nash-Czarnik
Schaller-Moore-Hayes

Liles-Carlo
Krug-McQuaid
Morrow-Miller

Rask (unconfirmed)

...and as this week is Thanksgiving down south, eating and sharing food is the order of the day:

Spoiler!

Go Flames

[Fire in the disco]

Keep up the good work boys! Johnson looking like the real deal, and I think Monahan has a good game tonight; goal and an assist

[Calgary4LIfe]

9-0 Revenge game for the Flames!

Brodie with a +9.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

I never realized how much prior success Johnson has had in the NHL. I don't understand why he never got more starts. Was great with Boston, decent on an Islander team that doesn't care about defense, and very respectable numbers on a crap Buffalo team.

Career .917 Save % with 2.36 GAA.

That's better than Ramo, Hiller AND even Elliott!!! And he's played on teams that don't care about strong defensive play.

[Vinny01]

Boston on back to back hopefully they jump on the B's early and get the win. Also hoping they face a Boston backup.

Dougie with 3pts

[Cactus Jack]

Without Chara that´s a horrid defence

[Flamesguy_SJ]

Heading to this game tonight! Getting a head start on the arena beers at the Celtics game right now, hoping the Flames at the very least don't lay an egg tonight.

For the record, the Flames are 2-0, with a combined score of 11-3 in away games I've attended.

So, I'm going to go with a bold prediction of 6-1 for the Flames, Dougie with at least 2 points and Monahan gets on the scoresheet.

GO FLAMES GO!!

[hwy19man]

Centre Ice channels for:
Friday, November 25
Calgary at Boston, 1730h/5:30 pm Mountain
Flames feed in red

Shaw Cable 351 SD and HD
Shaw Direct 167 HD--Classic lineup
Shaw Direct 467 HD--Advance lineup

Bell - 426 SD 1451 HD
Telus Sat - same as Bell
Telus Optik - ***

Rogers - Same as Eastlink
Source Cable - 455 SD 483 HD
Eastlink - 455 SD and HD
Cogeco - 455 SD 485 HD
Westman - 807 SD 821 HD
MTS - 836 SD 1836 HD
Novus - 484**
Northwestel - 576 SD and HD
Videotron - NA***

USA
Indemand - Game SD7 Game HD7
Directv - 778 SD 778-1 HD
Dish - 580 SD 9548 HD Hopper Channel 475-08

Sirius Radio-- Siri Internet 924
XM Radio-- XM Internet 924
SXM Radio-- SXM Internet 924

[N-E-B]

I have a good feeling about tonight. 4-3 Flames and Mony scores.

[DynastyEra]

Heard that Jankowski is playing?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by DynastyEra

Heard that Jankowski is playing?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

He is not

[cofias]

Bruins are literally a two line team and that blue line is rancid. Always feels scary going into Boston but I have a pretty good feeling about tonight. Just hope the boys aren't running out of gas with all these games lately.

[fotiou22]

These puppet tableaus never fail to make me smile. Thank you.

As a longtime forum reader (and active lurker) I appreciate those who take the time to create GDTs. I also appreciate that a link was included to the Herald story (which doesn't always seem to be the practice these days). And trust me, I appreciate how much easier it is for all of us to just read that material on this page rather than click over to the Herald's clunky website. However, it's a little frustrating to see whole sections from another publication copied and pasted into this forum.

A couple of sentences in the context of our own analysis might be a healthier approach. The sites that create content which we cut and paste into this forum are absolutely flailing right now. The people who create this content—which we deem valuable enough to quote at length—are losing their jobs. In the long run, we all have a vested interest in supporting anybody who is investing resources into creating content we find valuable enough to share. Sorry to be so pedantic. In an alternate universe, Postmedia could afford to pay Puppet Guy for his contributions.

[LanceUppercut]

Originally Posted by Flamesguy_SJ

Heading to this game tonight! Getting a head start on the arena beers at the Celtics game right now, hoping the Flames at the very least don't lay an egg tonight.

The Celtics are playing there right now? I'm going to predict the ice is absolutely atrocious tonight.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by LanceUppercut

The Celtics are playing there right now? I'm going to predict the ice is absolutely atrocious tonight.

So, like a Flames home game then?

[AcGold]

Johnson could be Kiprusoff 2.0, the only reason I tune into the Flames these days. A story like his could single handedly resurrect this band of misfits.

[DJones]

Gio, Hamilton, and Johnson are making me comfortable lately.

Almost optimistic haha

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Johnson could be Kiprusoff 2.0, the only reason I tune into the Flames these days. A story like his could single handedly resurrect this band of misfits.

The thing with Johnson is how quiet and confident he looks in net. No wasted movements just a pillar behind the D. I really enjoy watching the Flames play when they feel like they can make a mistake and have it end up in the back of the net.

[iggy_oi]

Who's starting in net?

[Flamesguy_SJ]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I never realized how much prior success Johnson has had in the NHL. I don't understand why he never got more starts. Was great with Boston, decent on an Islander team that doesn't care about defense, and very respectable numbers on a crap Buffalo team.

Career .917 Save % with 2.36 GAA.

That's better than Ramo, Hiller AND even Elliott!!! And he's played on teams that don't care about strong defensive play.

I feel like that's why he's been, IMO, the better goalie this year: he's more used to being left out to dry, so to speak... especially in comparison to Elliott.