Preview: Calgary Flames vs NY Rangers 1/2/20 (42/82): Flames Look To Stop Two Game Slide

Calgary Flames vs NY Rangers, 7:00 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB

TV: SNF – Radio: Sportsnet 960

Calgary Flames 20-17-5 (45 pts) – NY Rangers 19-16-4 (42 pts)

NHL Standings

It’s starting to look bad again for the boys from Calgary. The Flames dropped their second straight, this time to the Chicago Blackhawks and it’s looking all too familiar. Calgary has now dropped six of eight since having their season best seven game inning streak snapped back on December 14th. Calgary put up a little fight in their 5-3 loss to the ‘Hawks on New Year’s Eve, but for the second straight game the Flames fell behind 3-0 in the first period. That’s a tough hole for anyone to climb out of and the way Calgary has played lately it’s almost impossible.

The Rangers meanwhile are 3-4-1 in their last eight and the first two games of their four game, Western road trip have delivered mixed results. NY beat Toronto to start the trip by the score of 5-4 in OT, but were beaten up pretty bad by the Oilers on Tuesday night 7-5. NY’s struggles have them on the outside looking in with regards to the playoffs and while their offence ranks in the top 15, their struggles with keeping the puck out of the net have them near the bottom. The Rangers have given up 130 goals, good for eighth worst in the NHL. They also own the league’s 8th worst penalty kill, which isn’t doing much at 77.3%.

This is the first of two meetings between these teams and there isn’t a major home ice advantage for the Flames. Calgary has only won five of the last 10 times the Rangers have visited the Saddledome and they’ve dropped two out of their last three against NY at home.

Starting Goalies (E=Expected, C=Confirmed)

Flames: Rittich (E)- 17-10-5, 2.78 GAA, .912 Save

Rangers: Lundqvist (E)- 9-8-3, 3.05 GAA, .911 Save%

Team Leaders

Flames: Goals: Lindholm (16) Points: Tkachuk (36) PIM: Lucic (34) Save%: Rittich (.912)

Rangers: Goals: Pannarin (22) Points: Pannarin (55) PIM: Lemeuix (87) Save%: Lundqvist (.911)

What’s Happening With The Opposition?

NY Rangers Coverage: Blueshirt Banter

Last Time Out

Calgary Flames 3 – Chicago Blackhawks 5

NY Rangers 5 – Edmonton Oilers 7

Players To Watch

Calgary Flames

Sean Monahan (C): 5 points in last 5 games

NY Rangers

Ryan Strome (C): 8 points in last 5 games

by Mark Parkinson