5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. CANUCKS

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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Elias Lindholm (2)
Goals - Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk (1)
Canucks:
Points - Quinn Hughes (3)
Goals - Brock Boeser (2)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 33.3% (11th) / PK - 75% (T11th)
Canucks:
PP - 0.0% (T19th) / PK - 75.0% (T11th)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 46.84% (23rd)
High-Danger Chances: 30.77% (26th)
Jets:
Shot Attempts: 56.93% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 46.81% (16th)

1. US

In the immortal words of Joey Tribbiani: It's going to be weird.
Combined, they played more than 800 games over 19 years in those colours. They made memories, built bonds, and left having earned the respect of their teammates - now foes.
When Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev and Josh Leivo take to the ice on Saturday, the chit-chat and pleasantries will take a back seat. They have to.
It's a rivalry now, and it's about to get heated.
"Obviously, it's going to be special," Markstrom said of his facing his old team for the first time. "It's an organization I was a part of for many years… but I feel like I'm home here in Calgary now. The guys have taken me in with open arms.
"It's going to be different, for sure, to see that jersey on the other side this time. But when the puck is dropped, it's my job to make sure it stays out."
Markstrom, who was dealt to the Canucks as part of the infamous Roberto Luongo trade in March of 2014, played 227 regular-season games on the Left Coast.
In his first one as a Flame, he arrived as advertised, making 30 strong saves, including a jaw-dropper late in the contest to salvage a single point for the visitors. Unfortunately, Patrik Laine's overtime winner sent the Flames home with an L.
The locals are looking to bounce back and bring the same type of game that helped them establish an early, 3-1 lead, before allowing the Jets to claw their way back in the second and third periods.
"I'm sure I'll have every emotion going," said Tanev, who has never played for another NHL team until now. "I'll be excited, nervous, anxious, but it will be a fun night. ... I think we're going to come out strong."

2. THEM

Oh, you again!
The Canucks opened the season with back-to-back road games against the Oilers on Wednesday and Thursday.
Brock Boeser tallied a pair of third-period markers and Braden Holtby made 28 saves as the Canucks earned a 5-3 win on opening night at Rogers Place. But less than 24 hours later, a Connor McDavid hat-trick sunk the west-coast visitors and gave Edmonton a 5-2 victory.
Nate Schmidt and Tyler Motte supplied the offence, while Thatcher Demko - who studied under Markstrom and played so well during Vancouver's run to Game 7 of the Second Round inside the bubble - made 41 stops in his first taste of action.
"I thought they came out a lot harder than we did to start the game," Schmidt said. "They put us back on our toes early.
"We have to get used to this. You play the same team on back-to-back nights in their own building, and it's going to happen. You're going to get a better effort out of them after we come in and win Game 1 in these mini-series' that we're going to be having all year."
Schmidt, who was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights over the off-season when their (former) Pacific rival needed help shedding cap space, has played 24:18 and 17:47 in the two games thus far.
He's currently on the top pair, opposite Alex Edler.
The 29-year-old has plenty of jam and adds to an already explosive group that includes Boeser, Elias Petterson, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes and rookie Nils Hoglander - who secured his first-career tuck in Wednesday's lid lifter.
With that in mind, the Flames know they'll have to tighten things up and manage the puck better against this vaunted, Vancouver offence.
"They're a good team, they're well-coached, they play with structure, they're dangerous with their attack and they've got good special teams," Ward said. "They're a formidable opponent. There's lots there to like and we're going to have our hands full tomorrow night.
"We have to be good."

3. US VS. THEM

This is the first of 10 meetings and one of five to be played on Scotiabank Saddledome ice this year. The two teams will reconvene for a 7 p.m. puck drop on Monday.
Last year, the Flames went 2-1 against the Canucks, with the fourth and final head-to-head matchup wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnny Gaudreau led the Flames with five points (2G, 3A) in the series and helped the Flames to 3-0 and 6-2 victories.
The Canucks' lone victory against the Flames came on Dec. 29 at the 'Dome, with Tyler Myers and Tanner Pearson each recording three points in a 5-2 final.
With the first two out of the way in the next 48 hours, the Flames and Canucks will meet in four straight from Feb. 11-17. Three of those tilts will be played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, with the fourth and final contest playing out at the Saddledome.

4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER

STATUS QUO
The Flames held a 45-minute practice at the 'Dome on Friday and there were no changes to the forward lines or D pairs: "We have to be patient - appropriately patient - and see where things go," Head Coach Geoff Ward said of the combos. "But at the same time, if things aren't working, we have to be prepared to go with something else. It's a long way from being complete."
NICE TAN
Chris Tanev - affectionally known as "Dad" to his former Canucks teammates - is turning heads here in Calgary: "He's a good veteran, a good glue guy, a culture guy," Ward said. "He organically does his thing. He's establishing relationships with everybody in the locker-room. ... He's just naturally finding his way. The guys have an awful lot of respect for him and what he says carries weight."
CALGARY CONNECTIONS
Jake Virtanen appeared in 192 games for the Calgary Hitmen, recording 85 goals and 161 points from 2011 to 2015; Tyler Myers played minor hockey at the EDGE School before joining the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL; Assistant General Manager John Weisbrod was once an AGM with the Flames from 2011 to 2014; Assistant Coach Chris Higgins played the 2009-10 season with the Flames.

5. PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - Elias Lindholm
The Flames' top centre was involved in all three goals the other night against Winnipeg - officially recording two points (1G, 1A) and cleanly winning the faceoff that led to Matthew Tkachuk's opening tally in the OT defeat.
Canucks - Travis Hamonic
The former Flames defenceman has an assist in each of the first two games and returns to Calgary for the first time in his new colours. The 30-year-old played three seasons in the Stampede City, recording 42 points (11G, 31A) in 193 regular-season games.