The only thing that's been consistent about the Calgary Flames this year is goaltending.
Unfortunately for them it's been consistently bad.
Each of Karri Ramo, Jonas Hiller and Joni Ortio have made at least three starts through nine games and Ramo leads the pack with an .879 save percentage.
The team as a whole has an .865 save percentage on the year and as a result they've been allowing a ton of goals.
Through 11 games the Flames have allowed at least three goals nine different times and at least four goals eight(!!) times. It's tough to win when 73% of the time you need to score four or more just to pick up one point in the standings.
It'll be tough for the Flames to buck that trend tonight as they're playing in the latter half of a back-to-back while the Oilers are fresh and have been feeling it offensively of late having scored three or more in five of their last seven.
The Flames really need to find a way to put their shovels away because if they don't they're going to dig themselves a hole too deep to climb out of.
LINEUPS
Gaudreau - Bennett - Frolik Colborne - Monahan - Hudler Raymond - Backlund - Jones Bollig - Stajan - Jooris
Giordano - Brodie Russell - Wideman Engelland - Hamilton
Ramo
--
Pouliot - McDavid - Yakupov Hall - Nugent-Hopkins - Draisaitl Pakarainen - Lander - Purcell ** - Letestu - Slepyshev
Nurse - Sekera Davidson - Klefbom Ference - Gryba Fayne - **
Talbot
WHAT TO WATCH 1) I know I'm beating a dead horse here but it's nearly impossible to win with any regularity when every night your goaltender allows three or four goals. The Flames desperately need a quality start tonight.
2) Connor McDavid enters this game scorching hot as he's recorded at least a point in seven straight games and has 11 points in that span. The Flames need to be all over him because if he gets any time and/or space he'll make things happen. Close the gaps quick, force him to move the puck and make someone else beat you.
3) Special teams. The Flames have the league's worst 5 vs 5 goal differential at minus-21. They're struggling to accomplish anything at evens so they'll need their struggling power play (12.9%) to perform much better and make some contributions tonight.
Recent posts: Adding insult to injury