Flames-Predators Game Day Preview, Notes, How to Watch

The suddenly .500 Calgary Flames will look to make it three in a row tonight against a staunch and structured Nashville Predators team with no shortage of drama on the back end. Here is your game day preview. 

Calgary Flames (16-16-5, 35 pts) vs Nashville Predators (21-16-1, 43 pts)   

Time: 6:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.   

TV: Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West, ESPN+  

Slump Busters 

The Calgary Flames found offence from some unexpected places during the first period on Tuesday night. Jonathan Huberdeau ended an 18-game scoring slump with a forehand-backhand deke to beat Minnesota Wild goaltender and future Hall of Famer Marc Andre Fleury. The sequence was set up on a Yegor Sharangovich feed. 

Likewise, Andrew Mangiapane ended a nine-game goalless streak after tipping in a Rasmus Andersson shot.  Can these two snakebitten Flames wingers continue to produce? With the group 4-2-0 since Dec. 18 and sitting three points out of a Wildcard spot (ARI@40pts), Ryan Huska will need all hands-on deck as January picks up. 

Net Gains 

Nashville’s crease competition had gasoline poured on the fire last week with the emergency callup of Vladislav Askarov. The 11th overall pick in 2020 saved 33-of-35 shots in two appearances in a statement saying: “I can handle this.” 

Backup Kevin Lankinen has since returned to the lineup, but Askarov’s performance made its mark. Juuse Saros posted a shutout on Tuesday over the Chicago Blackhawks and you can expect more where that came from.  

A Firm Style of Play  

Calgary and Nashville traded 4-2 wins in two games this season. Over those two games, Andrew Brunette’s Predators brought a firm style of play: collapse to the net in the defensive zone, take no risks managing the neutral zone, and wait for either a power play or a big mistake.  

Nashville scored two power play goals on Tuesday against Chicago and Ryan O’Reilly had a point on each of them. Expect a similar strategy and some low event even strength play tonight.  

Calgary Flames Projected Lineup 

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Sharangovich  

Zary-Kadri-Pospisil  

Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman  

Greer-Ruzicka-Dube  

Hanifin-Tanev  

Gilbert-Andersson  

Oesterle-Weegar   

Vladar 

Markstrom

Nashville Predators Projected Lineup 

Forsberg – O’Reilly – Nyquist  

Pärssinen – Sissons – Sherwood  

Smith – Novak – Evangelista  

Trenin – McCarron – Tomasino  

Josi-Fabbro 

Lauzon-Carrier  

McDonagh-Schenn  

Saros  

Lankinen