Flames make a second stop this season in Denver and face an Avalanche squad that has posted one win in six outings and is on a two-game slide
The Calgary Flames started strong in their 15-game gauntlet leading up to the holiday break by winning three of the first four.
They followed by losing three of four. (Curiously, that is also Calgary’s record since trading away defenceman Nikita Zadorov to the Vancouver Canucks.)
Now, the Flames (11-13-3) begin the next wave of games by kicking off a three-games-in-four-nights road trip against the Colorado Avalanche.
Flames have lost three consecutive clashes with the Avalanche, and their last three visits to Denver, by a combined 10-2 margin.
It's expected Dan Vladar will start in net, which would mean Dustin Wolf will play Tuesday's game in Vegas against the league-leading Golden Knights.
As well, it appears coach Ryan Huska has done some line juggling, moving Connor Zary to go with Elias Lindholm and Yegor Sharangovich, while placing Andrew Mangipane with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil (who missed last game due to illness). That would make Matt Coronato a healthy scratch.
The Avalanche (16-9-2) have struggled to the point they are actually in second place in the Central Division, tied with the Winnipeg Jets but having played one more game.
Colorado has lost two straight and managed only one win in six outings (1-3-2).
Here’s a look at Calgary’s expected lineup according to NHL.com:
Forwards:
Connor Zary-Elias Lindholm-Yegor Sharangovich
Jonathan Huberdeau-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Andrew Mangiapane-Nazem Kadri-Martin Pospisil
A.J. Greer-Adam Ruzicka-Dillon Dube
Extras: Walker Duehr, Matt Coronato
Defence:
MacKenzie Weegar-Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin-Chris Tanev
Ilya Solovyov-Dennis Gilbert
Extra: Jordan Oesterle
Goal:
Dan Vladar
Dustin Wolf
Vladar has a 1-2-0 career mark versus the Avalanche with a 2.72 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Dustin Wolf has not ever faced the Avalanche.
Here is the expected roster for Colorado:
Forwards:
Valeri Nichushkin-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen
Jonathan Drouin-Ryan Johansen-Tomas Tatar
Miles Wood-Ross Colton-Logan O’Connor
Kurtis MacDermid-Andrew Cogliano-Joel Kiviranta
Extra: Fredrik Olofsson
Defence:
Devon Toews-Cale Makar
Bowen Byram-Josh Manson
Jack Johnson-Sam Malinski
Extra: Caleb Jones
Goal:
Alexandar Georgiev
Ivan Prosvetsov
Georgiev has a career 2-1-0 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .927 save percentage against the Flames. Prosvetov won his lone game against Calgary, the 3-1 affair last month in Denver.
ICE CHIPS: D Josh Manson (injury) and RW Joel Kiviranta (illness) are questionable for the Avalanche but not ruled out … Colorado’s Nathan McKinnon has been on a torrid offensive run, having scored in three consecutive games and on an 11-game point streak (5-12-17). He also has points in all 13 home games (8-16-24) … While Calgary’s power play is a mess (3-for-45 in 16 games), the Avalanche are having some woes of their own. They have been blanked in five consecutive games with the man-advantage (0-for-14) … RW Mikko Rantanen, who leads the Avalanche with 12 goals, has been blanked in nine consecutive games.