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Calgary Flames

Flames expect best from sputtering Jets

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Calgary Flames Noah Hanifin

Facing the Winnipeg Jets tonight, the Calgary Flames find themselves in a situation that is unique to them this season. The Flames are rested and ready and waiting for a dangerous team to come to them. And unlike what they’ve experienced so far, they only have two games in three nights bookended by multiple days without an opponent.

Two games in eight nights, most of it spent refreshing their minds and bodies here at home. How will they come out against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night?

“The onus is on the players now to do a good job in terms of their preparation and being game ready,” Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter said after their morning skate.

Sutter talked about the Jets strengths. They’re strong down the middle and on faceoffs, have size up front but also good on rush with players that can beat you one on one.

“To me, they are a prototypical team that should be a really good playoff team,” he said.

Jets not a team the Flames will take lightly

Defenceman Noah Hanifin agrees and doesn’t see the Jets’ recent scoring troubles as something that will continue. The Jets have scored just five times in five straight losses.

“They’re going through some adversity right now but every time we play Winnipeg it’s usually a really tough game. It’s a battle,” Hanifin said.

“They’ve got a lot of high-end players up front – (Mark) Scheifele, (Blake) Wheeler, some big bodies that have good shots and are good around the net.

“We know it’s going to be a tough test, for sure.”

Blake Coleman says his Flames will be ready based on what he’s seen with his new team.

“I think guys do a good job on this team of getting ready for games, the preparation, getting our body ready for the game and not using warmup and first few minutes to get into the game,” Coleman said. “Guys are ready to go from the drop.”

Puck drop is 8 p.m.