Hanifin’s Return: Flames-Golden Knights Game Day Preview, Notes, How to Watch

The Calgary Flames welcome Noah Hanifin and the Vegas Golden Knights to the Scotiabank Saddledome tonight in what they hope to be the end of a three-game losing streak. Here are your game day storylines to follow. 

Calgary Flames (31-29-5, 67 pts) vs Las Vegas Golden Knights 35-23-7, 75 pts)         

Last Ten: Calgary (6-4-0) Vegas (3-6-1)         

Time: 7:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.          

TV: Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West, TVA Sports, KnightTime+, ESPN+ 

Hanifin Returns 

It’s been a mere eight days since Flames general manager finally pulled the trigger on a deal shipping out defenceman Noah Hanifin in exchange for blue liner Daniil Miromanov, a now-converted 2026 first round pick, and a conditional 2025 third round pick that becomes a 2025 second if the Golden Knights win a playoff round. 

The results? Not great for Calgary in terms of the playoff race. The Flames have a 1-3-0 record since the deal. An 11-21 goal differential over that time underlines the impact of Noah’s (and Chris Tanev’s) departure.  

You can call it a tough road trip. You can call it a tenancy to play poorly in matinee games, but it’s hard to deny that subtracting Ryan Huska’s go-to shutdown pairing made the Flames an easier team to score against.  

Hanifin on the other hand, has impressed in his first three games as a Golden Knight. Two assists. A 5-3 goal differential while on the ice and averaging 21:37 in ice time per game.  

Something to Look Forward to 

While Hanifin’s absence paints a grim picture, the Vegas-Calgary rivalry may be one to still look forward to. Per nhl.com, here’s the season series.  

Two nail-biting overtime finishes and a close one in mid-January. MacKenzie Weegar’s coast-to-coast overtime winner on November 27 may have been the most exciting finish to a Flames game all season.  

“It’ll be kind of nice to get a chance after the game to say an actual goodbye to some of the guys,” Hanifin told Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review Journal earlier this week. “I didn’t really get to see them because it was so abrupt when I got traded.” 

Flames Debut 

Daniil Miromanov impressed in his first game at the Scotiabank Saddledome as a Flame on Tuesday when he scored a deflected slap shot in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche.  

A full scouting report on Miromanov: [Miromanov Acquisition Follows Theme of Swinging On Underappreciated NHL Players]

Tonight is fellow Russian Nikita Okhotiuk’s turn to debut as a Flame. The 23 year old will have to focus on balancing being defensively responsible while delivering on his punishing style of play.

A full scouting report on Okhotiuk: [Flames Acquire Nikita Okhotiuk from San Jose Sharks – Full Scouting Report]

Momentum Alert 

The Golden Knights ride into Calgary on a two-game winning streak. The Flames, meanwhile, have lost three straight heading into tonight.  

Vegas had a dramatic conclusion to their Tuesday night matchup with the Seattle Kraken.  

Jack Eichel wins it in overtime!

What a comeback by the Golden Knights. They gave up three-straight goals in the third period, then scored three-straight themselves to win it.

— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) March 13, 2024

Calgary Flames Projected Lineup 

Huberdeau-Kadri-Pospisil
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Hunt-Sharangovich-Coronato
Pelletier-Rooney-Duehr    

Kylington-Andersson
Weegar-Miromanov
Okhotiuk-Pachal  

Wolf
Vladar 

Golden Knights Projected Lineup 

Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault
Howden-Stephenson-Mantha
Dorofeyev -Karlsson-Amadio
Cotter-Roy-Kolesar

Hanifin-Pietrangelo
McNabb-Theodore
Hague-Whitecloud  

Hill
Thompson