|
Battle of the Offensively Anemic — Flames-Golden Knights Game Day |
|
|
|
|
|
With a 2-2-0 road trip on the books following Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Calgary Flames (8-10-3, 19 pts) will play their sixth game in nine days tonight against the suddenly offensively-anemic Vegas Golden Knights (14-5-2, 30 pts). Here are a few notes, thoughts and observations on tonight’s matchup.
Star-angovich
Flames newcomer Yegor Sharangovich has been on a tear since jumping on to the right side of Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane’s unit. The Belarussian has four points in his last three games.
Power Play Woes
It’s been covered quite thoroughly on other outlets, but the Flames have a power play problem. A 3-for-36 in November kind of problem. An 8.3% on the month kind of problem.
Offensive Coach Marc Savard has sited a need for more rapid and concise puck movement and the group took to the ice this morning with the objective of getting their 5v4 units back on track.
Buddy, I Got My Own Problems
Vegas has their own pile of dirt to move off their front step. That being an unreliable offence of the highest order. The former Cup champs have been shutout in three of their last six and two of their last three.
These issues tend to come and go with Vegas. Particularly in the early season. The group is 5-5-1 in the month of November and their .500 points percentage this month puts them at 5th in the division over that span.
Spare a Tissue for a Schedule Issue
There appears to be a bit on an unfair advantage in the scheduling prior to tonight’s game. Tonight will mark the Flames’ fifth game in seven days. The Golden Knights will be playing their third game in the same amount of time.
That can work both ways. Sometimes an offence needs repetition to get going. Meanwhile, the Flames players could likely use a day off and a succession of ice packs from the freezer to generate better results.
Zary Situation
With a breakaway and a penalty call drawn, Connor Zary appeared ready to once again be the difference maker for the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Alas, whatever lower body issue that has been bugging him appears to have resurfaced. The 22-year-old played only 12:05 of ice time and 2:58 in the third period. He missed the game against the Nashville Predators last Wednesday with likely the same issue. The Flames are 2-7-1 without the 2020 24th overall pick.
Calgary Flames Projected Lineup
Courtesy of Pat Steinberg. @Fan960Steinberg
Mangiapane-Lindholm-Sharangovich
Zary-Kadri-Pospisil
Huberdeau-Backlund-Coleman
Greer-Ruzicka-Dube
Weegar-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Gilbert-Zadorov
Markstrom
Vladar
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Barbashev—Eichel—Marchessault
Howden—Stephenson—Stone
Cotter—Karlsson—Amadio
Carrier—Roy—Kolesar
Hague—Pietrangelo
McNabb—Whitecloud
Hutton—Pachal
Thompson
Hill
Trevor Neufeld
@Trevor_Neufeld
Time: 7:30 Mountain Standard Time.
TV: Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West, TVA Sports, KnightTime+, Vegas 34
Stats Courtesy of eliteprospects.com and nhl.com.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»