[GDT] Flames @ Canucks //8pm MT//CBC/SN//FAN960

[Jeff Lebowski]

Another Pacific Division matchup against another good team with playoff aspirations. VAN will be hungry for points and will present a good challenge. CGY has been playing excellent hockey of late and want to finish as high as possible in the standings. GFG!!!

FLAMES (34-15-5; 73 PTS) at CANUCKS (24-24-7: 55 PTS)
8:00 p.m. | TV: CBC/Sportsnet | RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The FAN

Season Series: 1-1-1

All-time: 135-92-33-16

Flames Road Record: 17-10-0

Canucks Home Record: 12-10-3

Leading Scorers:

Flames:

Points - Johnny Gaudreau (74)
Goals - Gaudreau (29)

Canucks:

Points - Elias Pettersson (48)
Goals - Pettersson (25)



US
The Flames are kicking off a season-long, four-game road trip after dropping a 5-2 decision to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Mark Jankowski and T.J. Brodie supplied the offence as part of a 38-shot effort, but the homeside allowed three Shark strikes in only an 85-second span late in the first period to put the visitors in command. David Rittich was pulled after being victimized twice on only six shots, while Mike Smith came on in relief and was tagged with the loss, allowing three goals on 24 shots in the final 40 minutes and change. "When you get your chances, you've got to be ready to put the puck in the back of the net or it's going to come back to bite you," said centre Sean Monahan . "I still think we've got a better game to show. We didn't show it tonight. It's an important road trip now and we've got to flip the camera and look forward." … Travis Hamonic , who returned after missing one game with a lower-body injury, left the contest late in the third period after blocking a shot with his hand. Head coach Bill Peters believes the D man will be good to go tonight. If he's unable to play, the Flames do have eight defenceman currently on the roster, including Oliver Kylington and the recently recalled Rinat Valiev - both of whom were scratched on Thursday. … The starting goaltender has yet to be announced.



THEM
The Canucks are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, and have now lost three consecutive games for the first time since dropping a season-high eight straight from Nov. 10 to 23, 2018. In Thursday's OT defeat, Josh Leivo led the way with a goal and two helpers, Alex Biega and Elias Pettersson added singles, and Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves. … The Canucks have points in seven of their last 10 (4-3-3) and remain tied for the second and final wild-card playoff berth, but the St. Louis Blues - who currently occupy that spot - have three games in hand. "Once again, I think we all felt we played a pretty strong game, especially after taking some penalties and giving up two goals," forward Brock Boeser told NHL.com. "We had a good pushback in the second, kept pressuring, getting chances and we never quit. It's unfortunate we didn't get that second point, but at least we get one." … The Canucks played their second game without star defenceman Alex Edler, who suffered a concussion, broken teeth and deep facial lacerations after a gruesome incident in Vancouver's 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Edler got tangled up with Flyers forward Jake Voracek before losing his balance and going face-first into the ice at Wells Fargo Center, prompting immediate medical attention. The veteran was stretchered off the ice and spent the night in hospital, before returning home to Vancouver the next day. X-rays and a CT-scan revealed no facial fractures, but he will be out for at least a week as he recovers from the concussion. Edler, 32, is the Canucks' leader on D, scoring five goals and 20 points, and averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time per game this season.



US VS. THEM
This is the fourth of five meetings, and the second to be played at Vancouver's Rogers Arena this season. The two clubs last met on Dec. 29 in Calgary, with the homeside dropping a thriller, 3-2 in overtime. Mark Jankowski and Travis Hamonic had a shorthanded goal each, and David Rittich made 24 stops on the night. … Matthew Tkachuk leads the Flames in head-to-head scoring with five points (1G, 4A) in three games. ... The Flames' lone victory against the Canucks came during the Oct. 6 home opener where the locals took a 7-4 victory. The big guns - Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau , Elias Lindholm and Mark Giordano - combined for 13 points, while Mike Smith made 16 stops in the victory. ... The teams will close out the season series on Mar. 23, back in Vancouver.



THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: The Flames have the second-most road wins (17) and have allowed the second-fewest road goals (65) in the NHL this season. Johnny Gaudreau has been a big contributor to the Flames' torrid run away from the Scotiabank Saddledome, sitting tied for third with 17 road goals. In all, Gaudreau has 33 points in opposition barns this year. ... THAT: The Flames are a conference-best 24-4-1 when scoring the first goal of the game. THE OTHER: The Flames lead the NHL with 82 third-period goals - 10 more than the second-place Winnipeg Jets.



PLAYERS TO WATCH
Flames - T.J. Brodie

On Thursday, Brodie scored and recorded his 200th career assist on a goal by Mark Jankowski, becoming just the fifth defenceman to record at least 200 helpers as a member of the Flames in franchise history. … With seven goals and 29 points on the year, Brodie is on pace to record 44 points - one off his career high of 45 set during the 2015-16 campaign.



Canucks - Elias Pettersson

Pettersson is the runaway leader in the rookie scoring race. The 20-year-old leads all first-year players with 25 goals (nearly twice as many as his closest competitor, Mathieu Joseph of the Tampa Bay Lightning) and 48 points (no other rookie has 30). … According to NHL PR, with his goal the other night, Pettersson joined an elite list of only 10 other players who have scored at least 25 goals in 44 games played before their 21st birthday. Alex Ovechkin, Richard Martin, Don Murdoch, Mike Bossy, Eric Lindros, Luc Robitaille, Steve Yzerman, Wayne Gretzky, Dale Hawerchuk and fellow Canuck Brock Boeser are the others.

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/5-th...ks/c-304643476

[Strange Brew]

Not going to be shocked if Smith starts.

[memphusk]

Pettersen will be happy if Smith starts.

[keenan87]

I am going to be really pissed if Smith starts. Completely unfair bull#### if it happens.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by memphusk

Pettersen will be happy if Smith starts.

Automatic wrist shot from the off-wing.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Well this thread is already off the rails.

Can we start a new one where people don't just whine about Smith the whole thread?

[dissentowner]

You can't start Smith tonight, you have to show Rittich confidence here. We can't afford to give away two points tonight.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Well this thread is already off the rails.

Can we start a new one where people don't just whine about Smith the whole thread?

No.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Well this thread is already off the rails.

Can we start a new one where people don't just whine about Smith the whole thread?

No, it's completely justified. Its unbelieveable that the coaching staff would even be considering this.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You can't start Smith tonight, you have to show Rittich confidence here. We can't afford to give away two points tonight.

Exactly.. if he doesn't play tonight, that is an excellent way to ruin his confidence.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I am going to be really pissed if Smith starts. Completely unfair bull#### if it happens.

I trust coach.
Amusing how you all know so much more than he does

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

No, it's completely justified. Its unbelieveable that the coaching staff would even be considering this.

You've out-coached Peters again. Amazing.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I trust coach.

With other positions sure. With Smith I dont. There seems to be a undeserved love fest with Smith this entire season. He plays like trash but continues to get playing time. For what? A 37 year old goalie who will probably never play a game again after this season. Just mind boggling why they are investing so much in him.

[transplant99]

If i read this right...some literally say we cant have a thread that they cant whine about Mike Smith in?

That's amazing to me.

[TheRealPepman]

Key of the game: Stop Millennial Bure like we stop McDavid. Stop being 'ooh and aahing' over this rookie. We saw this same core 'oooh and aahed' at McDavid before they learned to trap him later in his career.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I trust coach.
Amusing how you all know so much more than he does

You are right, coaches never make boneheaded mistakes. I mean, fans had no clue when they started questioning Gulitzan.

That being said, hopefully he starts Rittich.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by keenan87

With other positions sure. With Smith I dont. There seems to be a undeserved love fest with Smith this entire season. He plays like trash but continues to get playing time. For what? A 37 year old goalie who will probably never play a game again after this season. Just mind boggling why they are investing so much in him.

Except they aren't.
They are investing in Rittich.
Handling his workload. Handling his shaky starts (all 2 or 3 lol). Credit for his great play goes mostly to him, and the rest to the fantastic way Peters is handling him, in my opinion. So I trust coach implicitly when it comes to his handling of Rittich. The others nights pull is more about the long game than an individual result.
This is all only my opinion, but I am convinced it's accurate. Rittich hasn't been successful in spite of coach. He is, in part, because of coach.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Except they aren't.
They are investing in Rittich.
Handling his workload. Handling his shaky starts (all 2 or 3 lol). Credit for his great play goes mostly to him, and the rest to the fantastic way Peters is handling him, in my opinion. So I trust coach implicitly when it comes to his handling of Rittich. The others nights pull is more about the long game than an individual result.
This is all only my opinion, but I am convinced it's accurate. Rittich hasn't been successful in spite of coach. He is, in part, because of coach.

Sure, if you are correct.. then the Flames should get a second goalie. I am done with Smith. I am not opposed to playing the back up.. they just need to not be ECHL calibre.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

No, it's completely justified. Its unbelieveable that the coaching staff would even be considering this.

Is the coaching staff considering this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Sure, if you are correct.. then the Flames should get a second goalie. I am done with Smith. I am not opposed to playing the back up.. they just need to not be ECHL calibre.

Fair