5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. CANADIENS
The Flames look to stay hot as Toffoli faces former team for the first time
Video: Brendan Parker sets up tonight's tilt
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Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Johnny Gaudreau (67)
Goals - Andrew Mangiapane (28)
Canadiens:
Points - Nick Suzuki (34)
Goals - Josh Anderson (15)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 23.2% (10th) / PK - 84.9% (5th)
Canadiens:
PP - 12.4% (31st) / PK - 73.1% (31st)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 55.61% (2nd)
High-Danger Chances: 56.27% (2nd)
Canadiens:
Shot Attempts: 47.44% (24th)
High-Danger Chances: 46.68% (24th)
Tyler Toffoli didn't have to wait long.
In fact, he and his wife, Cat, have barely unpacked.
"She's extremely supportive," Toffoli said of his better half, who's been busy tidying up some loose ends back east, but will be in town to catch the reunion live at the Scotiabank Saddledome. "She's been going through a lot the past two weeks. I think she's excited to see the rink completely full … and I'm excited to see how it loud it gets.
Aren't we all?!
The 'Dome will back to full capacity with the lifting of Alberta's remaining COVID-19 restrictions earlier this week.
Typically, a date between these two Canadian rivals fosters one of the better atmospheres of the season. Add Toffoli, an 11-game home streak, and a critical two points up for grabs, and we should be in for a treat.
"I'm excited," said Toffoli, who was acquired from the Habs on Feb. 14 in exchange for Tyler Pitlick, prospect Emil Heineman and a pair of draft picks. "They've been playing well. Marty's got them playing the right way and I know they're having a lot more fun. I think it's going to be another test for us to come out and play hard. But for myself, personally, I'm excited. Obviously, being there for a year and a half, or whatever, it was a good time.
"It's going to be a good time."
The Flames are coming off a 5-1 road win over the Minnesota Wild and have lost only once in the last 13 games. They're also a dominant 15-4-4 at the Saddledome, and could set a new franchise record for consecutive home wins with their 12th dating back to Jan. 18.
The Canadiens, meanwhile, have struggled all season, but have shown signs of a pulse over the past few weeks.
"I know everybody in that locker room works hard," Toffoli said. "Nobody was satisfied with losing. That little run that they went on (a five-game winning streak) I'm happy for them. But at the end of the day, I want to beat them (tonight)."
Video: "It's going to be a good time"
What a rollercoaster!
The Habs are coming off a thrilling 8-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday in Game 2 of a five-game, all-Canadian road trip.
Josh Anderson's first career hat-trick, along with a single from Arturri Lehkonen, helped Montreal rally from an early 4-0 deficit, but the Jets replied with another batch of four straight to run away with it late.
Sam Montembeault allowed seven goals on 23 shots before being replaced by Andrew Hammond in the third period. Hammond, who won the hearts of hockey fans and is back in The Show after a four-year stay in the minors, made stopped six of seven in relief.
"Any time you start a game like that down four goals, it's difficult," Anderson told reporters after the game. "But the guys hung in there and the way we battled back as a team and were able to tie the game, (so) there were a lot of good things.
"Any time you lose the game, it's frustrating. We were right there in the third period and the penalties took over and with the odd-man rushes, we made it hard on ourselves there.
Winnipeg scored four goals in only six opportunities with the man advantage.
The loss halted a five-game winning streak for the Canadiens, who've bought in and are playing a much more inspired brand of hockey under new head coach and former NHL great, Martin St. Louis.
The one-time Flame has guided the Habs to a 5-4-0 record since he replaced Dominique Ducharme on Feb. 9. In that span, they've climbed the ladder and are now scoring (and defending) at a rate that puts them more in the middle of the pack.
Prior to that, they were dead-last in goals per (2.20) and against (3.98) per game.
Still, there's work to be done.
And plenty to learn.
"I think it was self-inflicted a lot," St. Louis said. "We took four or five offensive zone penalties (and) it was really hard to manage the bench in terms of having a nice flow. There was a penalty and another penalty, it was 4-on-4 and then we had to kill. There wasn't a lot of flow for a good part of the game.
"I think we're a really good team when we can play with a little more flow. Obviously, I haven't coached a lot at this level, but it was a hard one tonight with all the different scenarios."
HOME HISTORY:The Flames have won 11 straight home games, tying the franchise record for the most consecutive victories at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The record was initially set during the 2015-16 season (Nov. 5 to Dec. 27). This current run began back on Jan. 19 against the Florida Panthers and since then, the Flames have out-scored their opponents 53-14.
DID YOU KNOW? Andrew Mangiapane became the fifth player in franchise history to score the game-winning goal in both games of a home-and-home set, joining Rey Comeau (Oct. 26 and Nov. 1, 1973 vs. the California Golden Seals), Willie Plett (March 12 and 13, 1977 vs. the New York Rangers, Al MacInnis (Feb. 7 and 9, 1994 vs. the Edmonton Oilers), and Sean Monahan (Feb. 3 and 6, 2018 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks).
ODDS & ENDS:The Flames recorded their 21st win by three-or-more goals in Tuesday's triumph over the Wild. The most the NHL this year. ... Six of Calgary's blueliners are on pace to record (or have already set) new career highs in points.
Video: Markstrom, Mangiapane lead Flames over Wild, 5-1
Flames - Tyler Toffoli
It's already well documented, but Toffoli has a habit of lighting up his old team. Will the trend continue tonight?
Toffoli has five goals and seven points in only seven games with the Flames, and enters tonight's matchup with three in his last two outings.
Canadiens - Cole Caufield
"Hopefully Cole buys me dinner," Toffoli said when asked if he was going to catch up with any of his old 'mates last night.
Why's that, exactly?
"Because I've bought him plenty."
We all know how well-liked No. 73 was in his old locker-room. He scored a bunch and helped lead the bleu-blanc-rouge to an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final last year.
But he was also a great mentor to the now 21-year-old Caufield.
Last year's Hobey Baker Award-winner got off to a slow start and even spent some time in the minors to help shake out the sophomore cobwebs, but he's on quite the run now and is looking more like the Calder hopeful that many expected this year.
Caufield has 11 points (6G, 5A) in his last nine games, which includes a career-high, three-point effort (1G, 2A) on Feb. 21 against the Maple Leafs.
The 5-foot-7, 166-lb. winger enters the night with seven goals and 19 points in 39 games.
Video: Flames set to do battle with Canadian cousins
Johnny Gaudreau what's made them so successful on this red-hot run:
"We've done this a few times throughout my time here, and I think this is the most complete out of any of the other times. The most complete game we've played. Our D's played well, our goaltending has been really good, we're scoring goals - every line's scoring goals - and it's a lot of fun."
Darryl Sutter on winning in different ways:
"You have to play your way. There (are) lots of teams that maybe don't match well against, so you have to play your own game. That's the foundation of it all.
"Put it this way, there was a foundation here that was just about out-scoring the other team. Well, that means you get your (butt) kicked every other game. There was never any steady in your game, ever. You have to have a foundation of accountability, checking, and at the same time, there has to be the freedom for the players of using their skill-sets, and I think that's showing in the group."
