5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. BRUINS

FLAMES (27-21-12) vs. BRUINS (46-8-5)

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

2022-23 Season Series: 0-1-0

NEED-TO-KNOW
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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day with Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
Black History Month - Jarome Iginla and London Hoilett Features
GAME DAY FEATURES
'A Lot of Belief in Here' - Weegar
Projected Lineup
Say What - 'Going to Be a Tough Battle'
'My Second Home' - Catching up with Flames alumnus Fred Brathwaite
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
2022-23 Head-to-Head Stats
WANT TO WIN SOME CASH?!

Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Tyler Toffoli (52)
Goals - Toffoli (25)
Bruins:
Points - David Pastrnak (80)
Goals - Pastrnak (42)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 20.2% (21st) / PK - 80.9% (13th)
Bruins:
PP - 23.3% (8th) / PK - 86.5% (1st)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 56.99% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 52.15% (13th)
Bruins:
Shot Attempts: 51.06% (15th)
High-Danger Chances: 54.29% (8th)
###

1. 'NOW OR NEVER'
   Make no mistake: The challenge in front of them is not for the faint of heart.
   But forget, for a moment, the Bruins and their chart-topping 46-8-5 record stand between them and a crucial two points tonight. The truth is, the opponent matters little.
   What does matter is that the Flames put their best game on the ice and find a way to get the job done.
   With only a quarter of the season left to work with, they simply can't afford to fall any further in arrears.
   "It's definitely that time of year where we're obviously not in the position we'd like to be in," said Tyler Toffoli, who enters this pivotal matchup with goals in three of his last four outings. "We kind of had a little talk today and talked about the little things we have to do, and I think that's going to go a long way in finding ways to win and coming together as a group."
   As much as the outside noise could serve as a distraction, the Flames aren't letting it. There's no denying the situation they find themselves in. But they also understand that with 22 games left - and with numerous head-to-head bouts against the very teams they're chasing - there are plenty of points on the table.
   "We've got a handful of days before the (trade) deadline and we want to bolster our position as much as we can and put ourselves in a spot to maybe be able to pursue some opportunities to make our team better," said Blake Coleman. "A couple wins here at home would be a big statement for us against some good teams that are coming in. It's kind of now or never for us.
   "A couple wins here at home would be a big statement for us against some good teams that are coming in. It's kind of now or never for us."
   The Flames are coming off a three-game road trip that toyed with every possible emotion. They demolished the Arizona Coyotes 6-3 in the opener, lost a 3-1 lead and fell to the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in overtime, and rounded out the Stateside swing with a 4-1 defeat to the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
   At any other point in the year, a 1-1-1 record in a three-games-in-four-night stretch would be looked at a positive.
   Not now.
   They need W's and they need them fast with four points separating them from the eighth seed in the West, currently - yet precariously - inhabited by the Pacific rival Seattle Kraken.
   "I think at times throughout the entire season, we've shown that we can dominate games," Toffoli said. "It's just been a little frustrating with little breakdowns, or costly turnovers, where they score a goal and all of a sudden are tied, or we're down.
   "We have to take care of business."
   Tonight, we're celebrating Black History Month at the Scotiabank Saddledome! In addition to a number of in-game and online festivities, we're holding a special 50/50 raffle in support of the CSEC Inclusion Program. A portion of the proceeds will be directed to Black Girl Hockey, Calgary Black Chambers and UMOJA, while you could win an autographed Black History Month jersey as part of the draw's early-bird prizes.

2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY
The Bruins were in action last night, edging the Oilers 3-2 to extend their winning streak to seven.
Tomas Nosek, Nick Foligno and Pavel Zacha supplied the offence for the B's, while Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves. Dmitry Orlov and former Flame Garnet Hathaway - who were both acquired from the Washington Capitals earlier this week - tallied their first points in a Boston sweater in the win.
The B's are having one of the best regular seasons in NHL history and have already set a new all-time mark by becoming the fastest team to reach 40 wins (53 games) - eclipsing the 2015-16 Washington Capitals.
In doing so, they also surpassed the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers for the most points (85) in the first 53 games of a season in league history.
The NHL's all-time record for the most points by a team in the regular season is 132, set by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins are currently on pace for 135.
With Swayman getting the nod last night in Edmonton, the Flames will likely see Vezina frontrunner - and recent goal-scorer! - Linus Ullmark between the pipes tonight. The 29-year-old has had a season to remember, posting a 30-4-1 record, along with a sparkling .938 save percentage and a 1.86 goals-against average.

3. FAST FACTS
KADRI 800:
Nazem Kadri will skate in his 800th career game tonight. Kadri's first game came back on Feb. 8, 2010 against the San Jose Sharks, recording 17:26 of ice time. Fittingly, his first NHL goal came against the these very same Bruins back on March 19, 2011. Kadri has recorded more regular-season and playoff points against Boston than any other opponent (10-20-30 in 50 GP). Kadri played in the first 561 games of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, followed by 178 with the Avalanche, and all 60 games the Flames have played so far this season.
HOMETOWN HANIFIN:
Noah Hanifin was born in Boston, Mass., and will face his childhood team for the 17th time in his career. Hanifin has four goals and 12 points in the 16 previous meetings, and scored the scored the Flames' lone goal against the Bruins back on Nov. 10, 2022, when the team visited Beantown. Hanifin has recorded at least a point in six of his seven career games against the B's as a member of the Flames (2G, 5A), including the first goal in each of Calgary's last two goals against the Bruins.
DID YOU KNOW?
Nikita Zadorov scored his first NHL goal against the Bruins back on Oct. 23, 2013, as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
Tyler Toffoli's team-leading 25 goals are tied for the third-most among all skaters from the 2010 draft class. Only Zach Hyman (28) and Brock Nelson (27) have more this season.
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 - Mikael Backlund
Backlund continues to be the centrepiece of the most effective line in the NHL.
According to MoneyPuck.com, Backlund - along with his versatile wingmen, Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman, are tops in the league with a flat-out dominant 73.1% expected goals-for share. (You can learn more about MoneyPuck's xGF model by
clicking here
.)
You simply can't argue the numbers. In more than 304 minutes together at 5-on-5 this year, the Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman trio has generated 72.19% of the high-danger scoring chances (101-37), while out-scoring the opposition 19-5.
Backlund has been the catalyst for it all, putting up 16 of his 41 points since Jan. 1, including 17 points (5G, 12A) in his last 14 games.

Bruins - David Pastrnak
To put it bluntly, it's an embarrassment of riches making up that black-and-yellow dressing room.
But even with the likes of Bergeron, Marchand, McAvoy and more, Pastrnak is as electrifying a player as there is in this game.
He had a three-game point streak (3G, 2A) snapped last night in the Alberta capital.
### 5. QUOTABLE
Rasmus Andersson on getting up for a big test against the Bruins:
"I don't think there will be any lack of energy or emotion (tonight). We're playing the best team in the league and we've got to be at our best. If we're at our best, we can play and beat everyone.
"If you don't have energy (tonight), I think you've got to look yourself in the mirror real long and hard."