Calgary Flames
Preview: Flames and Oilers Battle For The Second To Last Time This Season
Calgary looks to go up 2-0 against their provincial rivals.
Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers, 8 PM MT, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary AB
Calgary Flames 5-1-0 (10 pts) – Edmonton Oilers 5-3-0 (10 pts)
TV: SN1, CBC – Radio: Sportsnet 960
Odds: Calgary (-136) Edmonton (+111) O/U: 7
In what seems like an odd, even cruel twist on the NHL season, the Flames and Oilers will play for the second to last time in the regular season tonight. Calgary and Edmonton only face off three times in 2022-23 and they all happen before the start of the new year. So savor this one and December 27th because itโs going to be a while before the next BoA.
These two rivals locked horns in a tightly contested game back on October 15th with the Flames winning 4-3. Dan Vladar got the start in net ahead of Jacob Markstrom and played well enough to earn a victory. Markstromโs struggles against Edmonton have been well documented (15-13-2, 6-7 with the Flames) and itโs most likely that Dan Vladar will get the start again tonight as Darryl Sutter wants to use the backup once a week. Now this week could be an exception as Calgary only had two games and Tuesday to Tuesday (Flames first game next week) is a long time for your starter to sit. Also, Jacob Markstrom needs to get over the Edmonton hump, especially if Calgary plans on going anywhere next spring during the NHL Playoffs. Calgaryโs top keeper has played much better as of late, highlighted by his 32 save, 4-1 winning performance against the high powered Pittsburgh Penguins offence on Tuesday.
On the Edmonton side, theyโre very much a Jekyll and Hyde scenario. They have the third best goals for total in the league at 31, BUT have surrendered the 9th most goals at 26. Edmonton has a dynamic and deadly PP, operating at 34.5% which is 2nd best overall. Yet, the struggle in man down situations. The Oilers PK is running at 75% which is 6th worst in the league.
As for goaltending, well, itโs been a mixed bag. Stuart Skinner is 1-1-0 with a 1.44 GAA and a .957 Sv% and has done well in the backup role, but the starter position has been rough. Jack Campbell was brought in to be the true #1 and itโs been a rough start for the new acquisition. Heโs 4-2-0, but his GAA and Sv% arenโt prized FA signing material. Campbell is rocking a 3.89 GAA and a .888 Sv%, which when added on to that big five year contract he signed, doesnโt look so hot. In their first game against the Flames Campbell gave up all four Calgary goals on 11 total shots and was yanked in favour of Skinner who played very well and kept the Oilers in the contest.
The takeaway from all this? Both #1 keepers arenโt good against each other, the backups tend to play better in this matchup, Calgary will have to stay out of the box to keep the Edmonton PP off the ice and enjoy this one because thereโs only one game between these two left this regular season. It wouldnโt be a BoA without some weird stuff involved.
Puck drop is at 8 PM MT from the Scotibank Saddledome.
Calgary Flames | Edmonton Oilers | |
---|---|---|
5-1-0 | Record | 5-3-0 |
10 | Points | 10 |
2nd Pacific | Division | 3rd Pacific |
22 | GF | 31 |
17 | GA | 26 |
30.4 (4th) | PP | 34.5 (2nd) |
84.6 (7th) | PK | 75.0 (27th) |
Kadri (4) | Goals Leader | McDavid (8) |
Kadri (9) | Points Leader | McDavid (15) |
Zadorov (8) | PIM | Kane (14) |
Markstrom (.907) | Save% | Skinner (.957) |
143-134-19 | Overall VS | 134-143-19 |
4-1-0 | Last 5 | 4-1-0 |
Starting Goalies
Calgary: Vladar (E)- 1-1-0, 3.03 GAA, .896 Sv%
Edmonton: Campbell (E)- 4-2-0, 3.88 GAA, .888 Sv%
Injury Report
Calgary: Kylington (IR-Personal)
Edmonton: Smith (IR-LT/Undiscolsed), Klefblom (IR-LT/Shoulder), Benson (IR-LT/Knee), Desharnais (IR-NR/Wrist), Lavoie (IR-NR/Undisclosed)
Betting Odds Via Betway:
Moneyline
CGY: -154 (Favourites)
EDM: +130 (Underdog)
Puckline
CGY: -1.5 (+160)
EDM: +1.5 (-180)
Game Social
@NHLFlames, @EdmontonOilers, @matchsticksCGY, @CopperandBlue, #Flames, #Oilers, #CGYvsEDM
View From The Other Bench
SBN Edmonton Oilers Coverage: Copper and Blue
Last Time Out
Calgary Flames 4 – Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Edmonton Oilers 6 – Chicago Blackhawks 5
Players To Watch
Calgary Flames
Nazem Kadri (C): 6 points in last 4 games
Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl (C): 7 points in last 3 games
by Mark Parkinson