The Calgary Flames kick off a five-game road trip tonight against, well, what many might refer to as a “schedule win” in the Chicago Blackhawks.

The core of the opposition has seen better days. A 9-24-5 record certainly provides a background as to how their 22-23 campaign has gone so far. The club has won two of their last ten games. Those wins came from games against Columbus and Arizona.

Their offence is ranked the worst in the league — by a fairly large margin. Their 2.16 goals per game puts them almost half a goal less per game than even the 30th-ranked Columbus Blue Jackets (2.61).

If you isolate the Blackhawks to just their recent play — it gets worse. They’re 3-21-1 in their last 25. Since the beginning of December, the Blackhawks have scored 1.63 goals per game. They’ve been outscored more than two-to-one during that time. Oh, and Patrick Kane is day-to-day and expected to be out for tonight’s game.

Is there a glimmer of hope for Blackhawks fans tonight?

Well, they are very well-behaved. Tied for the third least minor penalties received since Dec 1 with 47 in 16 games. Vancouver is the most well-behaved over that time with 41 in 15.

Also, Alex Stalock starts in net. His 5-5-1 record is frankly miraculous given the team has won only nine times in 38 games. His .921 save percentage on the season is better than either Flames goalie. He’s coming off a shutout against Arizona on Friday.

It would be embarrassing to get “goalied” by the likes of Alex Stalock and the Chicago Blackhawks, but the fact that the Oilers traded this guy to the Sharks for future considerations in March and then signed Jack Campbell for 5x5 is worth a chuckle or two.

Stalock is tenth in save percentage across the league. Jack Campbell is 77th. Stalock has a cap hit 750k and is a UFA at season’s end.

Fresh Blood
Wingers Walker Duehr and Jakob Pelletier were called up yesterday evening to join the Flames on this five-game road trip.

Pelletier has been impressive of late. Active in scrums, finding his way onto the scoresheet (4pts in his last three games) and has been using his speed to create distance.

Also fleet of foot, Walker Duehr has looked like the best fit on an NHL roster. Carrying a similar top speed to Pelletier but with a 6’2” 210-pound frame bodes well for the 25-year-old from South Dakota.

With that said, Jakob is the more talented of the two and carries a higher draft pedigree. The only notable offensive stat Duehr has put up of late is six shots in his most recent game.

Brett Ritchie has been placed on IR. Hence the spot opening up. With two wingers coming in, one has to wonder if there are further injuries being kept under wraps.

With any luck, we’ll get a look at one of these two players soon. Maybe even tonight.

Calgary Flames Projected Lineup
Road games are always tough. Sutter doesn’t like to show his hand too often. This is merely the lineup against the Islanders. Update at warmups.

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

Hanifin-Andersson
Weegar-Tanev
Zadorov-Stone

Markstrom
Vladar


Chicago Blackhawks Projected Lineup

Athanasiou – Domi – Reichel
T.Johnson – Toews – Raddysh
Kurashev – Dickinson – Seney
R.Johnson – Laffety – Blackwell

McCabe – S.Jones
C.Jones – Murphy
Johnson – Mitchell

Alex Stalock


Game time is 5:00 pm MST. Catch the broadcast on Sportsnet West and NBC Sports.


Trevor Neufeld


@Trevor_Neufeld


Stats via nhl.com, theahl.com and naturalstattrick.com.

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