5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. CANUCKS

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STAT PACK
Head-to-Head Stats
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Elias Lindholm (45)
Goals - Johnny Gaudreau (19)
Canucks:
Points - Brock Boeser (43)
Goals - Boeser (20)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 19.5% (17th) / PK - 80.6% (13th)
Canucks:
PP - 16.8% (25th) / PK - 78.5% (23rd)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 52.85% (7th)
High-Danger Chances: 52.78% (10th)
Canucks:
Shot Attempts: 46.39% (28th)
High-Danger Chances: 45.49% (26th)

1. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

It's the moment every young player dreams about:
The day you round up the family, strap on the skates and go to battle with the big
boys.
Adam Ruzicka could make his NHL debut tonight as the Flames take on the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
Ruzicka led the Stockton Heat with 10 goals this year, and finished in a tie with Matthew Phillips for the top spot in points with 21 in 28 games. He also enjoyed a ridiculous, retina-searing stretch from Feb. 24 to March 5, recording four consecutive three-point outings and becoming the first player in franchise history to do so.
Now, he's about to ply his trade at the world's top level.
"I think I've earned (the opportunity) over the course of the whole year," Ruzicka said "I'm going to be ready when the call comes."
At Saturday's practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome, the 6-foot-4, 202-lb. prospect centered the fourth line with Dominik Simon and Brett Ritchie.
As a big body who skates well (and hits like a truck), he's eager to put his game to the test. He took some big steps this year and truly feels at home now, playing at a pace that he believes can make him an impact player on regular basis.
"I think my main focus was on the consistency of my play," Ruzicka said. "I think I've improved.
"I've improved in every aspect of my game, overall, and I tried to be the best hockey player I could every day I stepped into the rink."
Simon, meanwhile, hasn't played since March 1 - and after two-and-a-half months of nothing but practice, he, too, is ready to show Sutter and Co. what he's capable of.
"The best I have," Simon said when asked what he has to offer. "It's always harder when the game-practice ratio is way different. It's always fun to play the games. It keeps you (involved), keeps you motivated. But on the other hand, the practices were good. We tried to have as much fun as we could in the practices."
The Flames are coming off a 4-1 win over the Canucks on Thursday and are seeking a third-consecutive victory tonight.

2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY

There's no rest for the weary.
The Canucks have really been up against it over the past month, returning from their unscheduled COVID absence with a mind-boggling cadence down the stretch.
Credit to them, as they were in action yesterday in the Alberta capital, handing the Edmonton Oilers a 4-1 defeat in Game No. 16 of a never-ending, 28-day spin cycle.
They - like the Flames - will now close out the campaign with a triad of games over the next three-and-a-half days.
Third-period goals by Matthew Highmore (2) and Jimmy Vesey, along with 31 saves from Thatcher Demko, propelled the visitors for a 4-1 victory, snapping a mini, two-game slide.
Vancouver captain Bo Horvat scored the other for the west-coast crew.
"The guys stuck with it, had a big third " Canucks Head Coach Travis Green said. "To come on the road and play a lot of games and go .500 (3-3-0), I thought it was a good trip."
Highmore, who was acquired in a deadline-day trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, now has a career-high three goals on the year - all scored as a member of the Canucks, only 15 games.
"I like his game a lot," Horvat said of his teammate. "He's tenacious on pucks and he's good in his own end. … Obviously, you saw (today), he can put the puck in the net when he wants to. He's been a great addition to our group, a good guy in the locker-room and we're happy to have him."
Demko, meanwhile, improved to 15-18-1, along with a .914 save percentage and a 2.87 goals-against average this year with the victory.
With this being a back-to-back situation, it's likely that veteran Braden Holtby will get the call in the blue paint tonight. The 31-year-old is on a personal four-game skid, and is looking to finish a tough year on a high note.
The Alberta product has an 7-10-2 record, along with a career-worst .897 save percentage and a bloated, 3.43 goals-against average.

3. SHOT VOLUME

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs getting underway last night in the U.S. capital, the hockey world is slowly returning to some semblance of normal.
Approximately 5,000 fans were on hand for Game 1 between the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena. Nashville, St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, Tampa Bay, New York, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Boston, Tampa and Florida will also be welcoming an increased capacity, with the home of Predators - Bridgestone Arena - hosting a league-leading, 12,135 spectators when their series kicks off.
It might take until the fall, but Head Coach Darryl Sutter is optimistic that Canada is on the right track, thanks to our ever-accelerating vaccination program.
"I think once we're all vaccinated, it will get back to normal," he said. "You're talking more and more people every day that are getting their first shots and some, their second ones. Obviously, that's encouraging when you look at the U.S. and I think they're at 240 million people vaccinated now. Hopefully we're pushing to get a percentage of our population done, too."
Sutter, 62, received his first dose "a while ago."
If you're in Alberta and over the age of 12, you can book your COVID-19 vaccine by CLICKING HERE.

4. PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - Matthew Tkachuk
The Tkachuk, Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau line has been a force for the Flames the past few nights.
But No. 19, in particular, has taken his game to another level.
In the last two games, the 23-year-old has five points (2G, 3A) and 72.92% share of the shot attempts (5-on-5), and leads the team with seven individual scoring chances, including five from the high-danger areas.
Canucks - Jack Rathbone
The Boston native spent the past two seasons at Harvard University, but made the transition to the professional ranks this year.
He debuted with the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, recording nine points (2G, 7A) in eight games before being summoned to Vancouver's taxi squad. Since being recalled to the main roster, the 21-year-old has a goal and one helper, and is averaging more than 14 minutes of ice time per game in six appearances so far.
Rathbone was drafted in the fourth round - 95th overall - in 2017.

5. QUOTABLE

"Throughout the whole process, I knew I was still capable of being an NHL player and playing a meaningful role for any team that would have me. I've said this before, but I knew what I signed up for coming into this season and I just wanted to enjoy coming to the rink every day. It's a privilege to be an NHL player and I don't take that for granted. To come to this place every day is a lot of fun, no matter how tough a day it can be. You've still got to cherish the fact that you're still in the best league in the world."
- Michael Stone on 'resurrecting' his career with an impressive, bounce-back season