5 Things - Flames @ Blue Jackets

1. Back-To-Back Attack

For the first time this season, the Flames will play on back-to-back nights.

The group landed in Columbus after posting a resilient 4-3 win last night over the Buffalo Sabres, with an eye on two more points this evening against a rested Blue Jackets squad.

Calgary broke four separate ties in last night’s fixture, going ahead for good on Adam Ruzicka’s second goal in as many games. The Flames winger slotted home a wrist shot from the left wing 4:35 into the third period, 81 seconds after the Sabres had tied the contest.

Head Coach Ryan Huska earned his first road win as an NHL bench boss and was happy with his team’s resiliency postgame.

“That was a good road game against for us,” Huska said. “We were able to keep it up and found a way to win. After they scored, to even it up scoring quickly after that the way we did, that was a big thing for our team, for sure.”

Forward Blake Coleman put home his first goal of the new season last night, converting on a one-timer early in period three. He echoed Huska’s sentiments about Calgary’s ability to battle through adversity against a plucky Sabres squad.

“Every time we grabbed some momentum, they seemed to grab it back,” Coleman said. “Just stuck with it. I thought we were the better team 5-on-5.”

While he didn’t find the scoresheet, captain Mikael Backlund brought plenty of energy last night, leading the team with six shots on goal. He added four takeaways in addition to going 16-9 in the faceoff dot, all while playing more than five minutes of shorthanded hockey in Thursday’s win.

But as we continue along on this season-long five-game road trip, patterns are starting to emerge for this Flames group.

The team has started on time, out-shooting its opponents 30-10 over the last two first periods.

They start with the puck: Calgary’s 57.8% faceoff efficiency is third-best in the NHL.

They’re spreading around the offence, too. Nine Flames skaters have recorded two or more points over the first four games of the campaign, with Elias Lindholm leading the way with a goal and four assists.

All that to say there are reasons to be excited, with tonight providing another test to see just how this group fares in an unfamiliar barn on short rest.

All that remains now, is for that puck to drop.

2. Know Your Enemy

Columbus sits 1-2-0 on the young season and have had their fair share of time to anticipate tonight’s game.

The Blue Jackets have been idle since Monday, when they suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, who the Flames will see on Sunday afternoon to cap off their five-game road trip.

Tonight’s contest ties a bow on Columbus’ season-opening four game homestand, over which the team has yet to surrender fewer than three goals in any single outing.

The Blue Jackets have split up star forwards Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau at even strength and on the powerplay to start the season, a move new head coach Pascal Vincent discussed Thursday.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t work,” Vincent told reporters. “Last year they had good games together, we’re just trying to find what works now.”

Laine has a goal and an assist on the young season, while Gaudreau has chipped in with two helpers over Columbus’ first two games.

There’s plenty of excitement in the Ohio capital over the play of 19-year-old Adam Fantilli.

Vincent is happy with the third-overall pick from this year’s draft has acclimated to the pro game after spending last season at the University of Michigan.

“He’s doing a lot of good things,” Vincent said. “The only thing we don’t want him to do is lose his confidence.

“He’s skating hard, he has an ability to make plays, he’s doing a real good job.”

3. Fast Facts

2022-23 Season Series:

Calgary and Columbus split their two-game season set in 2022-23 with the home side taking the spoils in each contest. The Blue Jackets scored a 3-1 win at Nationwide Arena Dec. 9, with the Flames returning the favour Jan. 23 at the ‘Dome with a 4-3 overtime triumph. Dillon Dube scored the winner 2:25 into the extra frame while Andrew Mangiapane led all Calgary scorers with three points (1G, 2A).

Did You Know?

Call them Early Leads Done Dirt Cheap.

Calgary has opened the scoring in each of their first four games to start the regular season. In fact, it’s tied for the second-longest season-opening streak in Flames franchise history, bested only by a 10-game run in 1984-85.

We’ll save you a Google search. Bob Carpenter of the Washington Capitals ended that lengthy streak on a D.C. Halloween night back in 1984.

4. Lineup Notes

Here’s how the Flames lined up Thursday evening in Buffalo:

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau - Elias Lindholm - Andrew Mangiapane
Adam Ruzicka - Nazem Kadri - Dillon Dube
Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
A.J. Greer - Yegor Sharangovich - Walker Duehr

Defence

Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
Nikita Zadorov - MacKenzie Weegar
Dennis Gilbert - Chris Tanev

Goaltenders

Dan Vladar
Jacob Markstrom

5. Players to Watch

Flames - Walker Duehr

Calgary’s fourth line was buzzing Thursday in Buffalo, generating five shots on goal including Duehr’s marker 10:15 into the first period.

Through four games this season, the South Dakotan has a goal and an assist on his ledger and along with linemates Yegor Sharangovich and A.J. Greer, he’s consistently been able to put opposing defenders under pressure.

Duehr’s a selective shooter, too: through 32 NHL games, he’s found the back of the net on 16% of his career shots on goal.

Blue Jackets - Boone Jenner

Columbus has scored seven goals over its first three games of the regular season, and Jenner has tucked home three of them.

The Blue Jackets captain put up a hat trick Oct. 14 against the Rangers - the second of his career - in a 5-3 win that has served as Columbus’ only victory to date.

Despite missing 14 games in 2022-23, Jenner recorded 26 goals for the Blue Jackets, a figure that stands as the second-highest total of his NHL career.