Happy Thursday Calgary Flames fans! The Flames will face off against the Nashville Predators tonight. Let’s check out some Flames news.
The Calgary Flames are in music city tonight to face off against the Nashville Predators. The last time these two teams met marked the first win during the Flames ten-game win streak. And even after the Flames were up 4-1, this game went to overtime where the Flames won 6-5.
This also marked the first game that Micheal Ferland joined Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan on that top line and boy has it ever been one of the best decisions by the coaching staff. It paid off seeing how Ferland scored just 46 seconds into the game.
Ferland was out for a few days with an illness, but he’ll be back in the lineup tonight and back alongside his buddies on that top line.
Via Calgaryflames.com:
"“I’m excited to get back in the lineup and play again for sure,” said Ferland. “It’ll be a big game tonight, you know, obviously Nashville has been playing really good and we just gotta keep playing the way we’ve been playing and battle through.”“It was just a gut feeling,” said Gulutzan, when asked what led to him putting Ferland with Monahan and Gaudreau. “Just the way he’d played prior to that coming off the break. He’d had a lot of jump, was playing hard.”"
Well, keep listening to your gut, GG.
Someone else in the lineup tonight is Chad Johnson. He’ll be between the pipes while red-hot Brian Elliott will get the day off. Elliott was recently on the best run of his career, going on an 11-game win streak and trying a Flames franchise record set by Mike Vernon in 1989 for longest consecutive win streak by a goaltender.
Unfortunately, that streak is now over for the netminder with the loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday evening. He still was incredible however, stopping 36 shots, and the loss was hardly his fault.
But for tonight, Johnson gets the nod.
Calgary Flames
Via Calgaryflames.com:
"“Obviously I want to play every night and feel like I can do that (but it’s sometimes) the situation, timing of everything,” said Johnson, on getting the start in net. “We’ve been on a good roll here. It’s hard to argue that. But I’m always ready and always willing to play whenever it is. If it’s a four o’clock in the morning phone call that you’re playing or anything like that I’m always willing to play every game. I’m always prepared.”"
With playoffs soon approaching, here are some potential playoff scenarios for the Flames
Potential Playoff Scenario: Facing the Minnesota Wild.
(I wrote this a month ago and I said the Calgary Flames may end up making it by just a hair and if they do, they’d face the Minnesota Wild. Well, that was before they decided to go on a ten-game win streak and make me look dumb. But this is still a possibility).
Potential Playoff Scenario: Facing the San Jose Sharks.
"The Calgary Flames are no longer just trying to stay in the running, they’re now chasing the top guns ahead of them. Let’s take a look at a potential playoff scenario for this team that involves the San Jose Sharks."
Battle of Alberta on the Horizon in Mid-April?
"The Calgary Flames have crawled their way back into the contention for home-ice advantage in the opening round of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. With their opponent and seeding still to be decided, we will take a look at a realistic, potential first round matchup for the Flames, their biggest rival, the Edmonton Oilers."
Potential Playoff Scenario: Facing the Anaheim Ducks.
"The Calgary Flames are currently in the running for a second Pacific division spot (I know, I’m shocked too). With the playoffs soon approaching, a potential opponent would be the Anaheim Ducks."
Some links surrounding the Flames for you to enjoy on this fine Thursday
Game Day: Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators (Calgary Herald).
Calgary Flames goalie Brian Elliott in a groove gearing up for NHL post-season (Calgary Herald).
Hamilton and Giordano are the best pairing in hockey (TSN).
Welcome addition (Calgary Flames).
Some links surrounding hockey and the NHL
For the Capitals, it’s Stanley Cup or bust in 2017 (Puck Prose).
IIHF asks NHL for decision on Olympics by end of April (Sportsnet).
Could NBA’s star-resting phenomenon reach the NHL? (CBC Sports).
Throwback Thursday: When Sidney Crosby was ‘The Next One’ (The Hockey News).
Next: Is Brian Elliott the Calgary Flames' X-Factor?
That’s all in this edition of Flames Daily! Let’s hope the Flames win while the Edmonton Oilers lose and the Flames can steal that third Pacific Division spot.