5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. CANADIENS

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GAME DAY VIDEO
Game Day with Brendan Parker
Pre-Game Interviews
GAME DAY FEATURES
Front And Centre - Derek Ryan
Projected Lineup
Say What - 'Good For My Confidence'
STAT PACK
Head-to-Head Stats
Media Game Notes
Scoring Leaders
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm (23)
Goals - Gaudreau (11)
Canadiens:
Points - Jeff Petry (24)
Goals - Tyler Toffoli (15)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 20.4% (17th) / PK - 80.2% (14th)
Canadiens:
PP - 21.9% (14th) / PK - 77.9% (17th)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 51.18% (10th)
High-Danger Chances: 51.40% (14th)
Canadiens:
Shot Attempts: 55.66% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 57.36% (3rd)

1. LAST TIME OUT

It was a game that had the Sutter DNA written all over it.
The fast-paced and physical, methodical kind that's made him a two-time Stanley Cup champion.
Sure, it was only Night 1 and the chase for that final playoff spot is only just getting started, but the Darryl Era - 2.0 - couldn't have gotten off to a much better start.
The Flames - charged up and ready to go from puck drop - stayed patient, but were aggressive and detail-oriented, pounding the Montreal Canadiens on the forecheck, clogging up the exits, and chugging their way to a hard-fought, yet old-school 2-1 victory on Thursday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Josh Leivo scored both goals for the homeside, while Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced.
It was the first time this year the Flames had surrendered 20 or fewer shots in a single game.
"This win is two-fold here," Sutter said, pausing after scribbling notes on his 1,286th NHL game sheet. "One is for the late Ken King, who we lost a year ago, and the other is for my mother - it's her 85th birthday today.
"This win is for those two."
And there you have it.
Sometimes, we all need a feel-good story that like.
"I thought we played a patient game and pretty much a mistake-free game," Sutter said.
"There were probably six or seven turnovers that we're going to have to get out of our system, but to play against a team that doesn't give up much and come away with the win is - hey, we needed it.
"We were six points behind them coming into the game."
Now, the deficit is four.
With a chance to make it two, tonight.

2. EGGCELLANT BENNY

Those were the high-flying stylings of one 'Playoff' Sam Bennett.
As the viral, social-media meme says: Change my mind.
No. 93 secured his first multi-point game in over a calendar year Thursday, as he chipped in with a pair of apples in the victory - increasing his yearly point total by a third in a single night's work.
Bennett's versatility certainly got the attention of the new boss, as Head Coach Darryl Sutter saw enough from the hard-hitting winger to apply some additional responsibility on the penalty-kill.
He passed with flying colours.
"Good on him," Sutter said. "It's good to see him be rewarded on the score sheet. I thought he was really solid.
"I want Sam to be a really strong, sound, straight-line, 200-foot guy and be able to play in different situations. Then, going forward, being able to use him more. Looking at his game last night, it was a good stepping stone for him and I expect a lot out of him. …. Sam, I think can and is a real capable (penalty) killer and I'd like to get him some more minutes if we think he can absorb that."
Bennett finished with 13:14 of ice time, adding one shot, one hit, and tying for third on the team with two individual scoring chances.
"I felt good," Bennett said. "I was playing on the fourth line, but we didn't play like a normal fourth line. (Sutter) really rolled all the lines and got everyone involved. That definitely makes it easier to get involved the game. I was on the PK, getting a few shifts and getting more comfortable there. That's good for my confidence.
"I'm excited and I'm having fun and I'm looking forward to keeping it going."
"I've had a bunch of discussions with Darryl. He's really good at communicating with me and I definitely know what he wants from me, and I'm definitely going to be taking on a bigger role. That's what I want and I'm looking forward to it."

3. THAT, BUT BETTER

As good as the Flames were on Thursday, the Canadiens were not likely at their best.
They were finishing up a tough, back-to-back set, that saw them in play a late game in Vancouver the previous night, before arriving at their Calgary hotel sometime between 2 and 3 a.m.
The legs had to be screaming.
So, to match, or even exceed their intensity on what should be a better, bounce-back effort from the Habs, the Flames will need everyone going.
"You want to win hockey games in this division, you need four good lines and three good (defence) pairs and your goaltender to make big saves," coach Darryl Sutter said of what his team did well.
"I think that we're going to have to work at that because we'll play a much better team on Saturday night than we played (Thursday).
Added Bennett: "They're going to come out harder. ... It's tough sometimes on a back-to-back, so we're definitely expecting a harder game (tonight) and we're prepared for that."

4. PLAYERS TO WATCH

Flames - Andrew Mangiapane
He's the 'Big Dog,' the 'Bulldog,' the 'Breadman,' the 'Little Man,' or just plain old 'Mangy.'
The 24-year-old has earned every one of those nicknames. When you play like he does, the style and substance of one's identity evolves quickly over time. When asked if linemate Milan Lucic gave an additional layer of security when things get messy out there, Mangiapane could barely contain his laughter.
"If stuff goes sideways, I'm sure he wouldn't afraid to come in and rip a few guys off me," Mangiapane laughed.
Based on what we saw Thursday, with No. 88 winning battles, forcing turnovers and creating offence out of nothing but hard work, the Habs will have their hands full again tonight.
"I feel like that's where you've got to go if you want to score goals," Mangiapane said of his effort in the trenches. "They were doing a pretty good job of boxing out, so you're just battling for ice [in front of the net].
"Just going to the net hard and looking for garbage goals and stuff like that."
Canadiens - Alexander Romanov
Romanov has been thrust into the spotlight in the absence of minute-munching, stay-at-home defenceman Ben Chiarot, who suffered a broken hand on Wednesday in Vancouver and has travelled back to La Belle Province for treatment.
Thursday was a tough night for the young rearguard - as it was for most on the Montreal side of things - but it will be interesting to see how the rookie handles the responsibly in a Top-4 slot, alongside Shea Weber, in the return matchup tonight.

5. QUOTABLE

"Sam's an awesome guy. I've known him for a couple years now, have sat next to him in the dressing room - pre-COVID times - for a couple years, and really got to know him. He's one of my best buddies on the team, so it makes me happy and makes me smile to watch him and see him have success. Anytime he's going, that's a good thing for our team."
- Derek Ryan on linemate Sam Bennett's big night Thursday