Flames on a two-game losing skid heading into a lone home date before going back on the road
Flames (17-18-5, 39 points) versus Ottawa Senators (14-21-0, 28 points)
The Calgary Flames hit the midway point of the season on a two-game losing skid, below the .500 mark and in dire need to make a run to have any hope of being a playoff squad.
Having delivered a dud against the Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-3 road loss on Sunday, the Flames have a chance to rebound against another cellar-dweller in the Ottawa Senators.
Calgary captain Mikael Backlund is to play his 949th game for the Flames, which moves him into a tie with Mark Giordano for second spot on the all-time list behind only Jarome Iginla (1,219 games).
"It’s special. Early days, in Calgary, I didn’t know how long I was going to play in the NHL," Backlund said. "To be tied with Gio is very special too, growing up, having him as my mentor and looking up to him. Sliding in second right behind Jarome as well, being my first captain here, and the biggest franchise player here, it’s very special."
Defenceman Yan Kuznetsov îs slated to make his NHL debut, while veteran forward Dillon Dube is expected to be a healthy scratch. Dube is in the midst of a horrific offensive slump.
The Senators sit last in the Eastern Conference and arrive in Calgary after a 3-1 loss to the Oilers on Saturday. Ottawa has lost four of five games, including the first three outings in a five-game road trip, and managed only three victories in its last 13 outings.
Ottawa won a 4-1 meeting in November.
Here’s a look at Calgary’s expected lineup:
Forwards:
Jonathan Huberdeau-Elias Lindholm-Yegor Sharangovich
Andrew Mangiapane-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coleman
Connor Zary-Nazem Kadri-Martin Pospisil
A.J. Greer-Adam Ruzicka-Walker Duehr
Extra: Dillon Dube
Defence:
Noah Hanifin-Chris Tanev
Rasmus Andersson-MacKenzie Weegar
Yan Kuznetsov-Nick DeSimone
Extra: Jordan Oesterle
Goal:
Jacob Markstrom
Dan Vladar
Markstrom has a career 4-6-3 career record against Ottawa with a 2.59 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. Vladar collected his first career shutout against the Senators with a 27-save performance in a 4-0 win Nov. 14, 2001.
Here is the expected roster for the Senators:
Forwards:
Brady Tkachuk-Josh Norris-Mathieu Joseph
Claude Giroux-Tim Stutzle-Drake Batherson
Dominik Kubalik-Ridly Greig-Vladimir Tarasenko
Parker Kelly-Mark Kastelic-Zack MacEwan
Defence:
Thomas Chabot-Artem Zub
Jakob Chychrun-Jake Sanderson
Erik Brannstrom-Travis Hamonic
Goal:
Joonas Korpisalo
Anton Forsberg
Joonas Korpisalo
Korpisalo has a 2-3-2 mark against the Flames, with a 2.26 GAA and .930 SvPct. Forsberg has a 0-2-0 record, 5.34 GAA and .857 SvPct.
ICE CHIPS: Flames LW Andrew Mangiapane has a five-game point streak on the go (2-5-7) … Senators LW Parker Kelly has scored on two consecutive games … Ottawa D Artem Zub will be a game-time decision after missing practice Monday because of illness … Senators RW Mathieu Joseph is slated to return after missing 10 games due to a lower-body injury.
