5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. BLUE JACKETS

FLAMES (22-16-9) vs. BLUE JACKETS (14-30-2)

7:30 p.m. MT | TV: Sportsnet West | RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The FAN

2022-23 Season Series: 0-1-0

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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day with Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
'Special Playing Here' - Gaudreau
Projected Lineup
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Elias Lindholm (42)
Goals - Nazem Kadri (18)
Blue Jackets:
Points - Johnny Gaudreau (44)
Goals - Gaudreau & Patrik Laine (13)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 20.0% (23rd) / PK - 82.7% (6th)
Blue Jackets:
PP - 14.9% (32nd) / PK - 77.3% (18th)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 55.53% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 52.01% (14th)
Blue Jackets:
Shot Attempts: 45.56% (29th)
High-Danger Chances: 43.12% (29th)
###

1. LAST TIME OUT
   It was, without a doubt, a gut-check moment.
   The Flames had dominated the visiting Lightning in the first period of Saturday's matinee at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
   They had a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes thanks to Nazem Kadri's deflection of a Tyler Toffoli blast, and outshot Tampa Bay 15-4 in the opening stanza.
   They continued to dictate play for the first half of the second but the Lightning scored two quick goals in 48 seconds, one off the stick of Steven Stamkos who stepped into a loose puck, another that deflected off the skate of Vladislav Namestikov.
   They weren't pretty plays by Tampa or due to defensive breakdowns per se, but nonetheless it put the homeside in a hole.
   Toffoli would answer back 1:10 after to tie it up and Rasmus Andersson scored to give Calgary the lead back heading into the second intermission. Dillon Dube then scored an absolute gem, before Anthony Cirelli cut back into the deficit with Andrei Vasilevskiy pulled early, scoring with 4:02 to go.
   But the Flames kept their composure and closed it out, Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman potting empty-netters for a 6-3 final that ended a two-game slide and gave the team a heckuva shot in the arm.
   "It was a really big response for us after going down 2-1 to a really good team," said Chris Tanev Sunday. "To score right away, and then get the lead back before the period was out, is a really positive sign for our team.
   "We were calm. We knew we were playing well. Two plays, two goals - it happens.
   "When you think about all the things we were doing well up until that point, there was no reason for us to come off our game plan. So, we got after it and continued that right through to the end."
   ### Click to read: 'Everyone Stepped Up'
   The afternoon was also notable as it featured the NHL debut of 2019 first-round pick Jakob Pelletier, who had a great look early in the game off a rebound but couldn't beat Vasilevskiy.
   Pelletier joined Nick DeSimone to become the second player to play their first game in a Flames sweater this season. He has 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points in 31 games with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers this season and was named to the AHL's all rookie team last season.

Tonight is the Lunar New Year Game, when we celebrate the important occasion. The team will wear special jerseys in warmup as part of the festivities on the night. More on that in the videos below.

2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY
This game marks the return of Johnny Gaudreau to the C of Red.
Gaudreau, of course, spent nine years with the Flames, scoring 210 goals and 609 points in 602 games with the team.
"They love their team and that's why I loved playing there so much and I loved being part of that organization for 12, 13 years," Gaudreau told NHL.com. "It's going to be fun going back."
The Blue Jackets head into the tilt dead last in the NHL in what has been a rough season, to put it mildly. They are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games - and 3-15-1 on the road.
"It's been a rough year, we get it, and we've been through ups and downs, a lot of injuries and stuff," Gaudreau said. "I'm just excited to go back there and play in the 'Dome again. It'll be a lot of fun, but whether we're in first place or last place, it doesn't really matter. It's going to be special night."
Columbus is coming off a victory in their last outing, beating the Sharks 5-3 at home on Saturday. Down 2-0, Gaudreau and Boone Jenner scored in the second to tie it up, then Patrik Laine, Gustav Nyquist and Sean Kuraly added third-period tallies to salt it away.
"Still weren't perfect by any chance tonight," Nyquist told NHL.comafter the win. "But I thought we managed the puck a little bit better. Got some timely kills and the powerplay came through for us and got us going there in the second.
"Our battle level was pretty good today. We won a lot of 50-50 battles that we need to do. All the things that we've talked about, we still can do better, but a step in the right direction."
### 3. FAST FACTS
LAST TIME VS. THE BLUE JACKETS: The Flames began a three-game road trip at Nationwide Arena for their first meeting against the Blue Jackets back on Dec. 9. The Flames fell behind early when Patrik Laine was sprung on a breakaway and buried his seventh on the year to put the Jackets up one just 1:02 into the game. In the second, Columbus would once again strike early into the period with Eric Robinson finding the back of the net on a partial break to put the Blue Jackets up 2-0 and it would stay that way through 40. In the final 20 the Flames would fire 14 shots on goal with Michael Stone finally converting for Calgary with the goalie pulled to draw the Flames within one. Columbus would add an empty netter and hang on for a 3-1 win.
MULTI-POINT MAN: Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists on Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With his second three-point and ninth multi-point game this season Andersson now has 28 multi-point games in his career, moving into a tie for the 12th-most multi-point games by a defenceman in Flames franchise history (28). Andersson is tied with Dennis Wideman, and three more multi-point games away from tying Dougie Hamilton for 11th on the list.
KEEP IT 100: Dillon Dube found himself on a partial break and he would snap home his 11th of the season on Saturday afternoon, a goal which would hold up as the game-winner. Dube also had an assist earlier in the contest, and the pair of points gave Dube 100 on his NHL career. Dube is now one of just five second-round picks from the 2016 draft to eclipse 100 NHL points.
Stick tap to Flames Public Relations Coordinator Jordan Bay for compiling these notes.
Follow him and the Flames PR team @FlamesPR on Twitter for more.
### 4. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Flames - Noah Hanifin
In 18 career games vs. the Blue Jackets, Hanifin has collected 13 points and is a +11. He had three helpers in the win over the Lightning.
Blue Jackets - Johnny Gaudreau
Nuff said.
### 5. QUOTABLE
Chris Tanev on defending Gaudreau:
"He obviously brings a lot of speed. He's a dynamic player. He's pretty small. Sometimes with those small guys, it can be a little tricky because they're quick in the corners. Just can't let him build that speed and be on top of him and try to frustrate him."