[GDT] Flames vs. Islanders, 7 pm, SN1

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Flames: 21-15-3, 45 points, 5th in the Pacific (3 way tie for 3rd), 9th in the West (4-way tie for 6th), 16th in NHL (a ridiculous 6-way tie for 11th).

Islanders: 25-11-1, 51 points, 2nd in the Metropolitan (tied with the Penguins for first), 3rd in the East, 6th in NHL.

A 4 game win streak, that's just what the doctor ordered after an 8 game losing streak going into the Christmas break. We all knew there were going to be rough patches with a young team learning how to win in the NHL, but it looks like the Flames are firmly out of that funk and back to playing like they were earlier in the year. The streak has put them right back in the playoff picture, tied with the Sharks and Canucks in their division, and 1 point back of the Kings. The Flames are also tied in points with the Jets, Leafs, and Capitals, all teams in a playoff position. The only problem, as has been for the entire year, the Flames have played more games than just about any other team, and only now are teams finally catching up to the Flames after they had a brutal schedule to start the year. Hopefully the teams they're competing with can lose a couple along the way to give the Flames a bit more wiggle room.

In tonight come the Islanders, a team that, up until this year, had been mired in the struggles of a young rebuilding team. A few very shrewd moves by Garth Snow (no, that's not a misprint) to bring in two key defensemen in Boychuk and Leddy, along with Halak who has played well, has brought the Islanders into the group of elites in the Eastern Conference. The Isles are tied with the Penguins for first in their division, and are just 1 point behind the Lightning for first in the conference. Being that the Flames are only 6 points behind one of the elite teams, it should be a lesson to management that if they continue to work with young players, but make calculated decisions to acquire key veterans (or retain them, as the case may be with Hudler and Giordano), they can get to the top in a relatively short time. Make no mistake, the veterans have filled holes on the roster effectively, but this team is led by their youth. Tavares, Okposo, Nelson, Strome, de Haan, Hamonic, Hickey, these are the core players of this Islanders team going forward, and it's a pretty good group.

They come in with 2 straight wins, and 6 wins in their last 8 games. Ryan Strome has been on fire lately, with 6 points in his last 2 games, including a 4 point night against Winnipeg. Tavares had his 4 game point streak snapped against the Jets, as did Kyle Okposo. This is the Islanders 2nd game of their longest road trip of the year, a 7 game trip that goes through western Canada, back through Columbus and New Jersey/New York.

These two teams compare in some strikingly similar ways. Both the Flames and Islanders have awful penalty kills (77 and 75 % respectively), both have pretty good power plays (18.9% and 19%), both have identical 5 on 5 F/A ratios (1.10), both give up few shots (28.1 and 27.6), both score quite a few goals (2.85 and 3.00), both give up more than the league average in goals (2.62 and 2.76), and both teams are poor at face-offs (46.8% and 47.6%). Even Halak and Hiller have similar numbers over 26 games (Halak: 2.26 GAA, .916 Sv%, Hiller: 2.31 GAA, .917 Sv%), and are coming off years where few teams wanted them. While the Islanders have more points, it's important to note that they are 6-1 in the shootout this year, which boosts their point totals. Obviously the Flames will want to win this in regulation, or overtime at the very latest.

No word of Raymond getting back into the lineup, but since nobody had a really bad game I doubt you see him. No confirmation of starting goaltenders yet.

Flames
Gaudreau-Jooris-Hudler
Glencross-Monahan-Colborne
Byron-Granlund-Jones
Bollig-Stajan-Bouma

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Wideman
Diaz-Engelland

Hiller


Islanders
Bailey-Tavares-Okposo
Grabovski-Nelson-Kulemin
Lee-Nielsen-Strome
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

de Haan-Hamonic
Leddy-Boychuk
Hickey-Visnovsky

Halak




Go Flames Go!!!

[Finger Cookin]

Interesting that the Flames and Isles match up so closely stat wise. Not getting to see them as much here in the West, I get the feeling that the Isles are the feel good story out of the East this year. Seeing them up close and personal should be interesting.

[playmaker]

Looking at those pics, I have to repeat what's in my avatar:
Bring the white flaming C back !!!

go flames go !

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by playmaker

Looking at those pics, I have to repeat what's in my avatar:
Bring the white flaming C back !!!

go flames go !

God no.

[alan21]

Monahan and Colborne has the same "celly".

I need more Taylor Hall like enthusiasm.

[chalms04]

Pretty stoked to see Tavares come through town.

[Erick Estrada]

It's been a long time since I can say I've been excited to see the Islanders but I am. They have some good forwards on that team that we rarely get to see.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Scary game in the sense Flames don't play again until next Wednesday and teams will be making up their games in hand over those 4 days. Flames need a win to make sure they're not too far away from the playoff bubble when they suit up next.

[locsofblu]

Man this should be a great game. Call this one on a coin flip. Go Flames Go! 4-3 flames win in regulation!

[sureLoss]

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
#Flames lines today: Glencross-Monahan-Colborne; Gaudreau-Jooris-Hudler; Bouma-Granlund-Byron; Bollig-Stajan-Jones

Hiller starts... Raymond likely scratched again

[killer_carlson]

not sure if that is a promotion for Bouma or not. I thought he and Stajan were great together last game.

Still, he adds more beef to the third line. Hope he can keep up with the speedsters.

[Finger Cookin]

I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not crazy about these line combinations. Regardless, hopefully they have strong games.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not crazy about these line combinations. Regardless, hopefully they have strong games.

Well, the 1st/2nd/4th line are put together because of good chemistry as of late. Byron, Granlund and Jones were put together as the third line because they were the remainders.

[MissTeeks]

“@Fan960Steinberg: Bob Hartley said today Backlund is "very close" to returning to the lineup. #Flames”

[FlameZilla]

Projected lines from the Flames site:

Curtis Glencross - Sean Monahan - Joe Colborne

Johnny Gaudreau - Josh Jooris - Jiri Hudler

Paul Byron - Markus Granlund - Lance Bouma

Brandon Bollig - Matt Stajan - David Jones

Mark Giordano - TJ Brodie

Kris Russell - Dennis Wideman

Raphael Diaz - Deryk Engelland

Jonas Hiller

[Poe969]

will the Flames send someone down or trade someone when Backs is ready? I think they should start shopping Raymond if they aren't already. The Jets or leafs might be interested....

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Projected lines from the Flames site:

Curtis Glencross - Sean Monahan - Joe Colborne

Originally Posted by Poe969

will the Flames send someone down or trade someone when Backs is ready? I think they should start shopping Raymond if they aren't already. The Jets or leafs might be interested....

I believe the consensus is that Granlund is sent back to Adirondack.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Well, the 1st/2nd/4th line are put together because of good chemistry as of late. Byron, Granlund and Jones were put together as the third line because they were the remainders.

According to this from Steinberg and the Flames website, the 3rd line is looking like it'll be this and Jones is on line 4 it seems.

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
#Flames lines today: Glencross-Monahan-Colborne; Gaudreau-Jooris-Hudler; Bouma-Granlund-Byron; Bollig-Stajan-Jones

Looks like Bouma got promoted and Jones demoted.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

I believe the consensus is that Granlund is sent back to Adirondack.

Most likely, but I would argue Granlund has been better than Byron recently.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Igster

Most likely, but I would argue Granlund has been better than Byron recently.

I'd have to agree - but as much as Granlund's been performing well, he's more of a top 6 guy. The Flames organization would probably want him playing 20 a night on the top 6 in Glens Falls with some PP time too - rather than letting him stay on 3rd line duties in the NHL playing 14 min a game.

Byron fits better into the bottom 6 role for the time being. Plus, seems like he's a favorite of Hartley's.