The Calgary Flames are in Arizona tonight looking to rebound following their 21st consecutive regular season game in Anaheim on Tuesday.
Led by rookies Max Domi and Anthony Duclair the Coyotes have surprised many by winning 11 of their first 21 games.
That's nothing to write home but it is impressive considering the only thing the Coyotes were expected to compete for this season was the 1st overall pick.
While the Coyotes have been better than anyone expected they are not as good as their record indicates. They rank 25th in 5 vs 5 save percentage, 25th in even-strength possession and have been out played on a pretty consistent basis.
That's not a good recipe for success over time and the Flames are hoping that shows tonight. LINEUPS Gaudreau - Monahan - Jones Bennett - Backlund - Frolik Colborne - Granlund - Hudler Raymond - Stajan - Ferland
Giordano - Brodie Russell - Hamilton Engelland - Wideman
Ramo
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Rieder - Hanzal - Boedker Domi - Richardson - Duclair Martinook - Vermette - Doan Chipchura - Gordon - Cunningham
Ekman-Larsson - Stone Dahlbeck - Michalek Grossman - Murphy
Smith
WHAT TO WATCH 1) Jonas Hiller's return is imminent so Karri Ramo will likely have a lot less leash to work with. For the most part he's played well over the last few weeks but he wasn't very good last time out. If he struggles again tonight I think he'll lose the net.
2) Max Domi and Anthony Duclair are tied for the team-lead in goal scoring and most of the offense runs through them. It'll be fun to see how they stack up against one of the best defense pairings in hockey as they'll likely get a steady dose of the Giordano - Brodie pairing.
3) The Flames' PK is clicking at an abysmal 72.1% on the year. With their PK struggling mightily it's imperative that they stay disciplined and spend as little time in the box as possible. The game is at 9 eastern and can be seen on Sportsnet Flames and FS-A Plus.
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