As the Flames look for a third consecutive victory, number-one goalie Jacob Markstrom is out due to injury and top-line Jonathan Huberdeau will look to regain his form after last game's benching
The comings and going continue for the Calgary Flames as they kick off their three-game road swing with Friday’s clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Number-one goaltender Jacob Markstrom will not play, with Dan Vladar tagged to start and Dustin Wolf to serve as the backup as the Flames (4-7-1) look for a third consecutive win.
Markstrom took to the ice after Friday’s morning skate — he didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday and is listed as day-to-day — but it is possible Wolf would get the net for Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada clash against the Ottawa Senators.
Andrew Mangiapane is to return after missing last game due to the one-game suspension he was handed following the match penalty he received in Saturday’s win over the Seattle Kraken, and it appears Walker Duehr will come out of the lineup.
Mangiapane is slated to start on the line with Elias Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau, who was benched for the whole third period of Tuesday’s 4-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators. Lindholm and Huberdeau have not been up to snuff yet this season, but they have been at their best — for what that has been worth — when playing with Mangiapane.
The Maple Leafs (6-5-2) and GM Brad Treliving, essentially the architect of the Flames whose flurry of moves in the summer of 2022 have had a major impact on this year's team, have one win in their last six games (1-3-2).
Here’s a look at Calgary’s probable lineup:
Forwards:
Jonathan Huberdeau-Elias Lindholm-Andrew Mangiapane
Martin Pospisil-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Connor Zary-Nazem Kadri-Yegor Sharangovich
A.J. Greer-Adam Ruzicka-Dillon Dube
Extra: Walker Duehr.
Defense:
MacKenzie Weegar-Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin-Chris Tanev
Nikita Zadorov-Nick DeSimone
Extra: Denis Gilbert
Goal:
Dan Vladar
Dustin Wolf
Vladar has a 2-0-0 record against Toronto, with a 3.41 goals against average and .901 save percentage.
Here is the expected roster for the Maple Leafs:
Forwards:
Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner
Tyler Bertuzzi-John Tavares-William Nylander
Nicholas Robertson-Max Domi-Calle Jarnkrok
Noah Gregor-David Kampf-Ryan Reaves
Defense:
Morgan Rielly-T.J. Brodie
Mark Giordano-Jake McCabe
Simon Benoit-William Lagesson
Goal:
Joseph Woll
Ilya Samsonov
Woll’s lone game against the Flames was a 2-1 Toronto win last March.
ICE CHIPS: Toronto D Jake McCabe returns after missing six games due to a groin injury. Struggling D John Klingberg is out, with coach Sheldon Keefe saying he has a injuries … Leafs F William Nylander, who was born in Calgary, has hit the scoresheet in every game this season, having netted seven goals and 18 points in his streak … Former Flame F Calle Jarnkrok, who scored the winning goal last time these teams met, is on a four-game run in which he has collected two goals and five points … Former Maple Leaf F Nazem Kadri is also on a four-game run and has collected two goals and six points … Flames D MacKenzie Weegar is due to play his 400th NHL game.