5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. AVALANCHE

FLAMES (21-15-9) vs. AVALANCHE (22-17-3)

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

2022-23 Regular Season Series: 1-0-0

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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day with Brendan Parker
Pregame Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
'Love Playing Against Him'
Projected Lineup
Say What - 'Be Ready to Play'
STAT PACK
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Elias Lindholm (40)
Goals - Nazem Kadri (17)
Avalanche:
Points - Mikko Rantanen (53)
Goals - Rantanen (29)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 19.4% (25th) / PK - 82.4% (7th)
Avalanche:
PP - 24% (11th) / PK - 75.9% (19th)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 56.01% (3rd)
High-Danger Chances: 51.40% (15th)
Avalanche:
Shot Attempts: 50.67% (13th)
High-Danger Chances: 50.75% (18th)
###

1. LAST TIME OUT
   In the end, not a bad trip at all.
   Despite falling 2-1 to the Nashville Predators Monday night, the Flames ended a five-game road swing with a 2-1-2 mark, picking up six points.
   Nikita Zadorov was the lone Flame to solve Preds netminder Juuse Saros while at the other end, Jacob Markstrom stopped 24 shots to keep the club within striking range.
   The Flames were a little late to the party and despite a hard push in the third, which included a Tyler Toffoli goal called back, they couldn't find the equalizer.
   "We let some points slip," Toffoli said on the trip. "We didn't start off the way we wanted to or finish the way we wanted to.
   "At the end of the day, it's a little dissapointing. The way everything is so close in points you want to try and gain as many as you can so a little dissapointing."
   Now back home, there's little time for rest with a stiff test against the Avalanche on the docket tonight to kick start a four-game home swing.
   The Flames enter the match-up having picked up a point in 17 of their last 23 games, but are well aware they need to start translating more of these single points into two.
   "We're just not consistently getting to that level and staying at that level," Blake Coleman said. "There's definitely been spurts when we look like a really good hockey team and a team that can contend. We have those lapses in key times in games whether last minute in periods, closing out leads things like that where we still need to grow and mature as a group.
   "We're learning as we go but as we get into the real thick of it, you gotta start drawing a line."
   And, with the Avs hot on their heels in the race for a post-season spot, this tilt should be a good one.
   "Every game right now is massive," Toffoli said. "Playing another team that is right behind us in the wildcard race, unfortunately that's where we're at right now but we need to be ready to go.
   "They're playing good hockey. They have some amazing, extremely talented hockey players over there and guys who have won. They know how important this match is too so its going to be a good one."

2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY
There's no doubt the injury bug has struck the Av hard this season.
They haven't had a full healthy roster for quite some time, with captain Gabriel Landeskog yet to suit up this season.
Whether it be the injuries or the Stanley Cup hangover, it hasn't been the season they imagined.
But don't look now, here come the reigning champs.
Colorado cruised to a 6-3 win over Detroit Monday night and have scored 13 goals in their last two wins.
Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar tallied twice, while Artturi Lehkonen and J.T. Compher added singles, as the Avs beat the Red Wings for the ninth straight game between the clubs.
"There's not too many areas I want to complain about from our last couple of games," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told NHL.com after the game. "So, to be able to win and win the right way and kind of get back on track on what we have to do to have success, I think is good timing.
"I think if you're playing your game for 60 minutes the way you're supposed to, then the wins will come in regulation."
Tonight marks the first of a three-game road swing for the Avalanche, in what is shaping up to be a crucial one as they sit three points back of the Flames for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference with three games in hand.
### 3. FAST FACTS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TIES: Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar was born in Calgary and played his junior hockey just two hours east of his hometown with the AJHL's Brooks Bandits. This will be Makar's fourth trip to the Scotiabank Saddledome. Nikita Zadorov spent five seasons with the Colorado Avalanche from 2015 to 2020, playing 289 games in an Avs sweater with 18 goals and 41 assists for 59 points. Flames All-Star Nazem Kadri also spent time in Colorado, skating in 178 games over three seasons with the Avs scoring 155 points (58G, 97A) over that span. Kadri was also a key contributor in the playoffs last season for the Avalanche, scoring seven goals and eight assists for 15 points en-route to winning the Stanley Cup.
DAN THE MAN: With his 29 save effort Saturday afternoon in Dallas, Dan Vladar earned his eighth win of the season. Vladar has helped the Flames earn at least a point in his last 10 appearances with a 7-0-3 record since November 29th. Only Linus Ullmark of Boston has a longer active point-streak among goaltenders this season. Vladar is the first Flames goaltender to put together a point streak of 10 plus games since David Rittich's 12-game point streak in 2018-19 when he had a record of 9-0-3.
BACK IN BLACK: The Flames will wear their 'Blasty' alternate jersey tonight, marking the fourth time wearing the threads. The Flames hold a 1-2 record in the black uniforms, last wearing them on Dec. 16 vs. the St. Louis Blues.
### 4. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Flames - Nikita Zadorov
Big Z is feeling it!
Zadorov has never been one to shy in jumping into the rush and it has paid off with three goals in his last seven games. His latest marker in Nashville was his seventh of the year and ties his career high, a mark he reached in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
The towering defender has four points in seven games in January which currently leads all Flames rearguards and is one point away from trying Igor Kravchuk for the most points by a Russian defenceman in franchise history with 34.
Avalanche - Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon has been red hot, coming off a four-point outing in the win over the Red Wings Monday, and has racked up 11 points (4G, 7A) in his last five games.
The 27-year-old is closing in on 700 career points, just five points shy headed into tonight.
### 5. DID YOU KNOW?
Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar and Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon were teammates with the Halifax Mooseheads during the 2012-13 season. They would go on to win the Memorial Cup and faced Nikita Zadorov who was a member of the OHL Champion London Knights.