The quest to a .500 points percentage continues today for the 11-12-3 Calgary Flames with a matinee game against the 13-10-1 New Jersey Devils. Coming off of a 3-goal third period comeback win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, the Flames find themselves playing a team that attacks well (3.63 goals per game — 4th in the NHL), but defends poorly ((3.67 goals against per game — 31st in the NHL).

Let’s get to it.

Familiar Faces
Today’s game will be their first match against their 2022-2023 teams for Tyler Toffoli and Yegor Sharangovich. The two were swapped for each other over the offseason with a 2023 third round pick also heading to Calgary.

Toffoli, 31, has 12 goals, nine assists and 21 points over 24 games with the Devils while Sharangovich has five goals and seven assists in 26 games for the Flames

Mystery Forward

UPDATE: Matthew Coronato has been recalled and will slot into the lineup.

AJ Greer and Walker Duehr missed Friday’s practice due to the flu. Practicing on the fourth line in their stead? Defenceman Jordan Oesterle.

Wranglers forward Matthew Coronato sat out yesterday’s 6-2 win over the Manitoba Moose.

Goaltending Derby
Daniel Vladar was first off the ice at practice on Friday indicating that he was the likely starter. Pressure is escalating for the 26-year-old Czech to perform after being chased from his net on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. Rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf upped the ante on Thursday with a 28 save, .933 performance.

Calgary Flames Projected Lineup
Based on Friday’s practice lines.

Mangiapane-Lindholm-Sharangovich

Zary-Kadri-Coronato

Huberdeau-Backlund-Coleman

Greer-Ruzicka-Dube


Weegar-Andersson

Hanifin-Tanev

Solovyov-Gilbert

Wolf
Vladar

New Jersey Devils Projected Lineup
Haula – Hughes – Toffoli
Palat – Hischier – Bratt
Meier – Mercer – Holtz
Smith – McLeod – Lazar

Siegenthaler – Nemec
Bahl – Marino
Hughes – Miller

Vanecek
Schmid

Game time is 2:00 pm MST. Catch it on Sportsnet.

Here is the latest on what has become a stealth bidding war for Noah Hanifin.


Trevor Neufeld


@Trevor_Neufeld

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