Calgary Flames Daily: Game Day, Sean Monahan Finding His Game
By Ramina Shlah
Good morning Calgary Flames fans! It’s a nice, warm day in Calgary today when the Flames will face off the Nashville Predators. Let’s see what’s happening in Flames news over the last 24 hours.
It’s another warm day in Calgary for the middle of January. The Calgary Flames will be welcoming the Nashville Predators for the first time this season. Let’s see how these two teams will shape up tonight.
The Predators are coming off of a shutout loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. They put 30 shots on net but couldn’t seem to get one past Ryan Miller. The Flames however, are coming off an exciting 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers.
Like I said, these two teams haven’t met yet this season, but the last time they met, the Flames won 3-2 in OT. Now, these are two different teams now, but hey. Some hope. Especially since the Preds were shutout last game, the Flames should use this to their advantage.
Some good news for the Preds is that they’re 90.9% on the PK in the New Year. However on the flip side of things, the Flames went 2/4 on the PP against one of the best PK teams in the league (Panthers).
Mikael Backlund also had three points in the game against the Panthers, so he’ll definitely be a player to watch tonight. Also Sean Monahan, who is on a three-game goal streak.
Speaking of Sean Monahan, how is he doing right now? We know he went through that 11-game goal drought before being on this three-game goal streak.
The other day during practice, head coach Glen Gulutzan had a chat with him. Via National Post:
"“I just said, ‘Hey, regardless of the results, you’re trying to do everything right,” Gulutzan said. “You’re competing in areas, you’re staying below pucks, you’re playing sound defensively. you’re making good decisions. You’re doing everything right, you just haven’t scored. But don’t put the weight of the world on you just because you haven’t put the puck in the net. That’s going to come. Just shoot pucks, keep going. But you’re doing everything else right.”"
Some links surrounding the Flames to get you through your morning
Game Day: Calgary Flames vs Nashville Predators (Calgary Herald)
‘Doing everything right’: Calgary Flames’ Sean Monahan learning to play a well-rounded game (National Post).
No joke: The Blues should trade for Brian Elliott (The Hockey Writers).
Monahan, Flames try to maintain scoring pace against Predators (Yahoo Sports).
Some other links surrounding hockey and the NHL
30 Thoughts: Could a Canadian team land Kevin Shattenkirk? (Sportsnet).
Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Thursday picks (Yahoo Sports).
NHL coaches fired under strange circumstances (Sportsnet).
NHL Centennial Fan Arena adds dates in March, April (NHL.com).
Next: Flames Daily - Backlund Stays Red Hot, Baby Jagr
That’s all for today in this edition of Flames Daily. Let’s hope the Flames can get their two points tonight and increase that points-gap between the Preds.