The Calgary Flames are looking to extend their winning streak to seven tonight against the visiting 4-4-0 Nashville Predators. While the Predators have had two and a half days of rest, they’ll be playing game one of a back-to-back that they’ll finish out in Edmonton tomorrow night. The Predators have beaten some hot teams of late. The Wild and Sharks were both 5-2-0 before losing to them. The Isles had gone two games without being scored on before the Predators beat them 3-2.
Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk Coleman-Backlund-Pitlick Mangiapane-Dube-Ritchie Lucic-Monahan-Lewis
Hanifin-Andersson Kylington-Tanev Zadorov-Gudbranson
Markstrom
Fear of hot goalies With the Flames’ only two losses this season being largely due to strong goaltending, one has to look at Jusso Saros’ .944 save percentage against the Islanders and wonder if he has the potential to steal game one or two of a back-to-back. He’s played below his career average of .920 this season, and while that is often a team stat, that number finding its way back to its Saros’ average may be an indication that Head Coach John Haynes is getting the team’s defence sorted out as well.
Tanner Jeannot Another hot hand heading into tonight’s game is a name you may not have heard before. Rocking the classic rookie number #84 is undrafted 24 year old winger Tanner Jeannot. He scored two goals in two shots against the red hot Ilya Sorokin and should be a player to watch tonight. The Oxbow, Saskatchewan native is scoring at .5 goals per game over eight games this season. He’s surprisingly quick for a 6’2… 212 lb winger and showed he has both a quick release as well as a nose for the net last game.
Zadorov stays in I predicted Zadorov to play like an unleashed monster last game. What we got was much more reserved; which we can all agree is probably better for overall team success. Fans of Zadorov have seen him get his game together for stretches. Hopefully the 26 year old soon to be UFA defenceman can start picking his spots to throw big hits once he gets comfortable playing a better two-way game.
Growing process It’s fun to watch Dillon Dube’s game evolve since he was moved to center. Head Coach Darryl Sutter pointed out that the 23 year old will be playing down the middle for the foreseeable future and that his speed is instrumental to finding a way to be effective at center. He also mentioned that utility faceoff man Brad Richardson is healthy and is only out if the lineup due to Dube’s change in position.
The fun starts at 7pm Calgary time.
Enjoy the game,
Trevor Neufeld