The Calgary Flames will attempt to salvage their six game road trip into a 3-2-1 record today as they play out the tail end of a back-to-back in Raleigh, North Carolina.

After falling 3-0 to the Capitals yesterday in what was a gut sucking performance from the visiting team, you can only hope for a bounce back. Yesterday’s matinee had all the characteristics of a momentum sink.

Starting out playing at a high tempo, but progressively playing worse as opportunities fail to translate to goals? Check.

A late period back breaker on a less than high quality shot? That too.

A lacklustre powerplay seemingly making zero adjustments or progress on any front? Check and check.

This Road Trip — Power Play Since November 17
Calgary Flames – 15.4% (Tied for 24th)

Take the first two games out of the equation and the power play is looking as broken statistically as it does on the ice.

In Their Last Three — Flames Powerplay vs. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington
0/7 – 0% (Tied for 32nd over that time span)

OK. We get it. The Flames haven’t played to their potential. Their best opportunity is their next opportunity. Today they look to get it going against a Hurricanes team struggling with a few issues of their own.

Since November 12 — Carolina Hurricanes
1-2-4 (22nd)
PP: 7.7% (31st)
PK: 87.5% (5th)
Goals For: 12
GF/GP: 1.71 (32nd)
Goals Against: 20
GA/GP: 2.86 (13th)

It’s surreal to see the Hurricanes posting the least effective offensive numbers across the league over the last two weeks. Among the team over those seven games, no player has more than two goals, no player is above a point per game, and only two players are in the green regarding even strength scoring differentials. That being the pairing of Brent Burns and Jacob Slavin.

Suffice it to say that the Flames are in trouble.

The question riding on today’s game is “who’s on-ice struggles are the least sustainable?”

While these two teams are both on the tail end of back-to-backs, the Hurricanes certainly showed a higher quality of play in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins compared to the listless final two periods the Flames brought against the Capitals.


Projected Flames Lineup
Today’s lineup is a bit of a question mark given the lack of a pre-game skate. So look for an update at warmups.

Huberdeau-Lindholm-Toffoli
Dube-Kadri-Mangiapane
Lewis-Backlund-Coleman
Lucic-Ruzicka-Ritchie

Hanifin-Andersson
Zadorov-Weegar
Tanev-Gilbert

Vladar
Markstrom


Projected Hurricanes Lineup
Courtesy of naturalstattrick.

Martinook–Aho–Necas
Svechnikov–Kotkaniemi–Fast
Drury–Staal–Jarvis
Noesen–Stastny–Stepan

Slavin–Burns
Skjei–Pesce
de Haan–Chatfield

Raanta
Kochetkov


A Tough Spot
It’s an unfortunate truth that Jacob Markstrom hasn’t had a strong start to the 22-23 campaign. Of his 16 starts, he’s only saved pucks above .900 on six occasions. He’s had ten starts in November and he’s been above .900 in three.

Against the Penguins, Vladar stole a point. If the 25 year old Czech keeps playing solid hockey, how far are we from seeing an increased workload?

Just something to think on.


Game time is 2:00pm mst. Catch it on Sportsnet in Canada and Bally Sports South in the States.


Trevor Neufeld


@Trevor_Neufeld


Stats via naturalstattrick.com and nhl.com.

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