Preview: Calgary Flames @ Arizona Coyotes 2/22/18 (62/82): Flames Look To End Arizona Winning Streak

Calgary Flames @ Arizona Coyotes, 7 PM MT, Gila River Arena, Glendale AZ

There’s no rest for the Flames as they depart Las Vegas and head directly to Glendale Arizona for a date with the Coyotes. The Flames are at a weird juncture in the season as the trade deadline is fast approaching, but the Flames appear to be distancing themselves from the playoff race. The good guys have dropped 5 out of their last 7 and David Rittich has been in net for 4 of those. Calgary is 5th in the Pacific and 10th in the West, which puts them 2 points behind Minnesota for the final WC spot. There’s plenty of hockey left to be played, but the Flames need to get going and get going fast.

And that’s where the Coyotes come in…….you’d think. While Arizona sits at the bottom of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference, they are hot lately. The Desert Dogs have won 5 of their last 6, including their current 4 game winning streak. And during that streak they haven’t given up a ton of goals. Over the course of that 4 game winning streak they’ve given up 4 while scoring 14. A far cry from their -54 goal differential on the season. So, yes, the Coyotes are a bad hockey team this season, they are also a team that could play spoiler down the stretch.

The Flames and ‘Yotes have only played 1 time this season with Calgary winning 3-0 back on November 30th. While the road is the preferred place of this Calgary team to play, they are an even 5-5-0 in their last 10 trips to the desert.

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

Arizona Coyotes Coverage: Five For Howling

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 Vegas Golden Knights 7

Here’s our recap and the highlights. I don’t want to write anymore about this game.

Arizona Coyotes 1 Edmonton Oilers 0

The Coyotes last took to the ice on Saturday the 15th and dispatched the Oilers 1-0. Antti Raanta stopped all 40 shots that came his way to earn his 12th victory on the season. Here are the highlights,

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Dougie Hamilton (D). Hamilton has had no problems piling up points lately, while still playing quality defence. The talented blue liner has points in 9 of his last 13 games including a hat trick against Florida and multi point efforts against Tampa, Nashville and Vegas.

Arizona Coyotes

Max Domi (F). Domi is interesting from the standpoint that he’s having a down year, yet he’s a name Flames fans bring up in potential trade talks. Domi just recently snapped a 20 game streak without a goal and he only has 4 so far on the season.

by Mark Parkinson