Meaningful hockey is almost here.
Tonight the Calgary Flames will play their second last tune up game as they kick off a home-and-home with the Winnipeg Jets.
The Flames will be looking for their fourth consecutive win while the Jets are looking to build on their come-from-behind overtime win against the Ottawa Senators.
The game can be seen on TSN3 at 8 eastern.
Projected lineup for the Jets:
Ladd - Little - Petan Raffl - Scheifele - Ehlers Burmistrov - Lowry - Stafford Lipon - Copp -Peluso
Chiarot - Byfuglien Pardy - Myers Harrison - Trouba
Hutchinson Pavelec
Projected lineup for the Flames:
Colborne - Bennett - Ferland Raymond - Backlund - Jones Bouma - Granlund - Jooris Bollig - Shore - Hathaway
Kulak - Wotherspoon Nakladal - Engelland Wilson - Sieloff
Ortio Hiller
What to watch:
- After some time on the wing Sam Bennett will be back at center for tonight's game. The Flames know he can play and be effective on the wing but in a perfect world they want him playing center. I think Bob Hartley and co. want to see if he's ready and tonight will be another opportunity for him to prove he is.
- Wotherspoon, Wilson and Nakladal are fighting for one or two roster spots and tonight may be the last chance they have to showcase themselves (you have to figure most regulars will play in the preseason finale).
- Joni Ortio has stopped 47-48 (.973 save percentage) this preseason and has looked ready for NHL duty. If he puts forth another strong effort tonight against a strong Jets lineup he will probably earn himself a job this year whether it be in Calgary or elsewhere. If he's waived (and that's a big if) it'll be hard for teams to allow a promising 24-year-old goaltender to slip through the cracks.
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