Calgary is riding a four-game winning streak thanks to a trio of strong victories against Boston, New Jersey and the New York Islanders
Flames (25-22-5, 55 points) at New York Rangers (33-16-3, 69 points)
The Flames are looking for their first five-game winning streak since the 2021-22 season.
From the team that played in the game the last time Calgary claimed a fifth consecutive victory — a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken on April 12, 2022 — only forwards Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman and Andrew Mangiapane, defensemen Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and goalies Jacob Markstrom are Dan Vladar still with the team. Oliver Kylington didn’t play due to injury.
The Flames are also looking to complete a perfect road trip that has already included wins over the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, all with a non-stop barrage of trade rumours following their every turn.
Although there have been some offensive standouts, namely MacKenzie Weegar’s hat-trick performance against the Islanders, the Flames have received contributions throughout the lineup. The capper, though, has been goaltender Jacob Markstrom. In this trip, he has surrendered six goals and posted a .939 save percentage.
The Rangers are first in the Metropolitan Division and are riding a four-game winning streak of their own. Artemi Panarin is third in the league with 68 points and tied for sixth with 31 goals.
New York claimed a 3-1 victory in Calgary in the other meeting of the season.
Here’s a look at Calgary’s expected lineup:
Forwards:
Jonathan Huberdeau-Yegor Sharangovich-Andrei Kuzmenko
Connor Zary-Nazem Kadri-Martin Pospisil
Andrew Mangiapane-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Jakob Pelletier-Kevin Rooney-Walker Duehr
Extra: Cole Schwindt
Defence:
MacKenzie Weegar-Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin-Chris Tanev
Oliver Kylington-Brayden Pachal
Extras: Dennis Gilbert, Jordan Oesterle
Goal:
Jacob Markstrom
Dustin Wolf
Markstrom has a 9-3-2 career record against the Rangers with a 2.52 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Wolf has never faced the Broadway Blueshirts.
Here is the potential roster for the Rangers:
Forwards:
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Blake Wheeler
Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle-Jonny Brodzinski-Kaapo Kakko
Jimmy Vesey-Adam Edstrom-Barclay Goodrow
Defence:
Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba
Erik Gustafsson-Braden Schneider
Goal:
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Shesterkin has an 1-2-0 record, 4.01 GAA and .880 SvPct. against Calgary. Quick boasts a 15-11-5 mark (three shutouts) with a 2.26 GAA and .910 SvPct.
ICE CHIPS: C Adam Edstrom, a 2019 sixth-round draft choice, is a 6-foot-8, 225 product of Sweden. Edstrom scored in his NHL debut on Dec. 15 against Anaheim but suffered an upper-body injury that sidelined him six weeks and had to work his way back to the NHL roster ... Rangers D Adam Fox, the Calgary draft pick who refused to sign with the team, has five assists in six career games against the Flames, three of them collected in his first meeting ... Flames LW Jonathan Huberdeau, who played his 800th regular-season game in New Jersey, needs one point for 700 in his career. Huberdeau has collected 16 points (4-12-16) in his past 16 games ... The Rangers power play is ranked fifth in the league, but has been blanked in six consecutive games (0-for-14) ... Curiously, New York has the second best penalty kill on the road (86.7%) but 18th at home (79%).