Flames return to the Saddledome having lost three of four and on the receiving end of two consecutive road beatdowns
Calgary Flames (31-28-5, 67 points) versus Colorado Avalanche (40-20-5, 85 points)
The road gauntlet was difficult. It does not get any easier at home for the Calgary Flames. Having lost two straight games by a combined 12-3 score and dropped three of four games, the Flames are back in the Saddledome on Tuesday to face the potent Colorado Avalanche to kick off a four-game homestand that begins with a pair of top-tier clubs. (The Vegas Golden Knights are here on Thursday.)
“You get slapped from time-to-time,” coach Ryan Huska said after the morning skate. “It’s how you respond. That’s the big thing.”
Number-one goaltender Jacob Markstrom partook in the morning skate, but a couple of hours after, the team summoned Dustin Wolf from the AHL and announced Markstom had suffered a lower-body injury.
Winger Martin Pospisil has served his three-game suspension and is slated to return to a lineup that has been massaged throughout in anticipation.
“We’re putting people in different situations to see how things are working,” Huska said. “Maybe you’re coaching a little more this time of year than you normally would, but that’s all part of it.”
As well, injured forward Connor Zary, who has missed the last four games, has been skating the past few days and is expected to return “shortly” according to Huska.
Colorado boasts plenty of offensive firepower, including Nathan MacKinnon — who leads the league with 111 points — along with Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. At the deadline, the Avalanche added more skill with Casey Mittelstadt (from the Buffalo Sabres) and plenty of size and snarl with forwards Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime and defenceman Sean Walker.
Plus, Valeri Nichushkin has returned after missing 22 games while in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He scored the overtime winner last game and his next outing will be his 500th career regular-season game.
Rookie goaltender Justus Annunen is slated to start, leaving Alexandar Georgiev likely to get the nod when Colorado visit the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday
The Avs have won the two meetings so far this season, both in Denver and both with Dan Vladar in the Flames net. Colorado has claimed the last four clashes and six of the past seven games.
Here is Calgary’s expected lineup
Forwards:
Jakob Pelletier-Nazem Kadri-Martin Pospisil
Andrew Mangiapane-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Jonathan Huberdeau-Yegor Sharangovich-Andrei Kuzmenko
Dryden Hunt-Kevin Rooney-Matt Coronato
Extra: Walker Duehr
Defence:
Oliver Kylington-Rasmus Andersson
MacKenzie Weegar-Daniil Miromanov
Joel Hanley-Brayden Pachal
Extras: Dennis Gilbert, Nikita Okhotiuk
Goal:
Dan Vladar
Dustin Wolf
Vladar has a 1-3-0 mark against the Avalanche with a 3.58 GAA and .892 SvPct.
ICE CHIPS: Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon’s point total is more than double Calgary’s most prolific player, Nazem Kadri (55 points) … MacKinnon, who was named the NHL first star of the week (having netted three goals and 10 points in three games) is riding a 12-game point scoring streak in which he’s collected eight goals and 26 points … Calgary F Yegor Sharangovich has scored four goals in a three-game streak, and seven goals in the past six outings … Colorado D — and Calgary product — Cale Makar is to play regular-season game 299 … Avalanche RW Mikko Rantanen needs three points to reach 600 … Flames C Mikael Backlund is two goals shy of 200 … Colorado boasts a 14-3-1 record this season against the Pacific Division … Curiously, the Avalanche have only outscored their opposition by a 71-64 mark in the first period. They are much more dominant in the second (84-66) and third (81-62) frames.
