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Schwindt Called Up: Flames-Blues Game Day |
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The Flames will attempt to bounce back tonight against a St. Louis Blues group that simply has Calgary's number. With a 1-2-1 record in the past two seasons and only a 3-0 loss to the Blues this season, the Flames will have to attempt a different approach to tonight's game.
Calgary Flames (21-20-5, 47 pts) vs St. Louis Blues (22-20-2, 46 pts)
Last Ten: Calgary (6-4-0) St. Louis (4-5-1)
Time: 7:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
TV: Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West, ESPN+
A few notes, thoughts and observations.
Cole-Up
22-year-old Cole Schwindt was called up earlier this morning from the AHL Wranglers and will be lining up between AJ Greer and Adam Klapka on the fourth line. The 6-foot-3, 194-pound center has eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 37 games this season and brings a rangy presence down the middle in terms of defensive coverage.
While his faceoff stats in the AHL this season remain elusive, his 54.05% win rate on the dot over six preseason games implied that the former Mississauga Steelhead had some potential as a utility center. If the Flames are to consider trading a renowned penalty killer such as Elias Lindholm, Schwindt may be brought in permanently to assist in a penalty-killing role.
Adam Ruzicka, who came out rather flat against Edmonton, will draw out of the lineup for tonight's game.
The Rise of Jacob
Flames number one goaltender Jacob Markstrom returns to action tonight after taking three games to nurse an undisclosed lower body injury. The 6-foot-6 netminder has a 7-3-0 record, a .936 save percentage, and a 2.02 goals against average since returning from a fractured finger on Dec. 18.
Streaky Opposition
The Blues are fresh-off applying a 3-0 60-minute chokehold on the Washington Capitals on Saturday. While St. Louis sits in a similar position to Calgary, their wins and losses have been a matter of hills and valleys 44 games into 2023-2024. The team will stack up a couple wins and then drop three or four in a row.
Calgary Flames Projected Lineup
Courtesy of Pat Steinberg. @Fan960Steinberg
Huberdeau-Lindholm-Sharangovich
Zary-Kadri-Coronato
Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman
Greer-Schwindt-Klapka
Weegar-Andersson
Hanifin-Tanev
Gilbert-Oesterle
Markstrom
Vladar
St. Louis Blues Projected Lineup
Via last game.
Buchnevich-Thomas-Kyrou
Saad-Schenn-Neighbours
Walker-Hayes-Gaudette
Toropchenko-Alexandrov-Sundqvist
Leddy-Parayko
Krug-Faulk
Scandella-Kessel
Binnington
Puck drop around 7:10.
Trevor Neufeld
"Fine" indeed.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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