5 Things - Flames vs. Flyers

1. Tie A Bow On ’23

It’s about to get busy again.

After a three-day Christmas break, and now a three-day gap between home games, the Flames schedule ramps up once more with a calendar-closing contest against the Flyers. Get tickets

Calgary will hit the ice 11 times over the next 21 days, including a stretch that will see them start 2024 with six out of seven on the road, which makes tonight’s 2023 finale a worthwhile opportunity to make hay at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

As disappointing as Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Kraken was, you get the sense defenceman MacKenzie Weegar and company have put the result in the rear-view mirror with busier days ahead.

"We had a couple good hard practices here, you know obviously it was tough, that last game, we thought we deserved better,” Weegar told reporters Saturday. “But we’ve done a good job this year at going over video and just staying positive, and sticking with it; it’s all about mentality for us.”

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom owns a 1.77 goals-against average and .938 save percentage since returning from injury 13 days ago.

Hardly numbers to sneeze at, but for Markstrom and his teammates, winning is the thing.

“You see the guys every day, and especially after a loss, that’s the reaction you want to see,” Markstrom said Saturday. “It’s not good enough and you want to hold each other accountable.

“I think we’re doing a great job of that, (in) all those tight games, we’ve just got to find another gear in those third periods to come out on top.”

And the games have been close. In fact, eight of Calgary’s last 14 contests have been decided by one goal, with four of those eight needing extra time.

Tonight’s opponent is one against whom the Flames have enjoyed success in recent years, too.

Calgary is 11-4-1 against Philadelphia dating back to the 2014-15 season, but Weegar knows full well the Flyers will prove a tough out.

“They’ve got a good team over there, we’ve got to be ready for a tough test,” he noted. “They don’t give up too much, so we’re going to have to work hard and definitely have our best night against them, for sure.”

2. Know Your Enemy

The Flyers have built one of the more impressive road records in the NHL, sitting 11-4-4 away from the City of Brotherly Love after a 2-1 overtime setback Friday night in Seattle.

Philadelphia - who are second in the Metropolitan Division - has suffered just one regulation loss over the past 10 games, earning three of four points so far on their Pacific Division swing thanks in part to a 4-1 win in Vancouver Thursday.

Travis Konecny leads the way offensively for the Flyers with 17 goals and 29 points, he counted a short-handed marker in that Friday night affair in the Emerald City.

Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett have also crossed the 10-goal threshold this season, they enter Sunday’s contest with a dozen tallies apiece.

The Flyers also feature a pair of defencemen that formerly called the Scotiabank Saddledome home as members of the Calgary Hitmen.

Travis Sanheim spent his entire three-year WHL career in Calgary from 2013-14 through 2015-16, leading the league in defenceman scoring with 65 points in 2014-15.

Sanheim sits second in team scoring, and leads all Philadelphia defencemen this season with 25 points.

Egor Zamula spent parts of three seasons with the Hitmen from 2017-18 to 2019-20, topping out with a 10-goal, 56-point campaign in 2018-19.

The Russian rearguard scored his second career NHL goal Thursday in Vancouver.

3. Fast Facts

2022-23 Season Series:

The two sides split their two-game series last season, with the road team winning on both occasions.

The Flames scored a 5-2 triumph in Philadelphia Nov. 21; Blake Coleman led the way for the visitors with a goal and two assists.

The Flyers returned the favour Feb. 20 at the ‘Dome, winning 4-3 thanks to a go-ahead marker from Wade Allison 8:27 from the end of regulation time.

After this evening’s contest, the two sides will meet again in Philadelphia for a matinee affair this coming Saturday.

Did You Know?

Rasmus Andersson scored his first NHL goal against the Flyers Dec. 12, 2018 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Andersson’s tally, at 18:52 of the third period, cut Philadelphia’s lead to 5-4; Sean Monahan would tie the game with seven seconds left in regulation time before Johnny Gaudreau’s overtime decider secured a 6-5 Calgary win.

4. Mr. 500

Flames forward Blake Coleman is set to skate in his 500th career NHL game this evening.

The two-time Stanley Cup Champion has spent 198 of his prior 499 appearances in a Calgary sweater, totalling 95 points (and six short-handed goals) since signing with the Flames in July of 2021.

Our Ryan Dittrick chatted with Coleman about his milestone night, read more here.

5. Players to Watch

Flames - Nazem Kadri

Kadri had Calgary’s lone marker Dec. 27 against Seattle - bringing his season total to nine - and also led the team with six shots on goal.

Five of Kadri’s nine tallies this season have come since Nov. 30, and he enters this evening’s contest with 23 points in 28 career games versus Philadelphia.

Over the course of his career, Kadri has logged more assists against only two NHL clubs (NYI - 20, FLA - 18) than the 15 helpers he’s earned against the Flyers.

Flyers - Joel Farabee

Still just 23 years of age, Farabee is on pace for a career year in this, his fifth NHL season, sitting eight goals shy of his personal best of 20, which he set during the 2020-21 season.

Farabee has collected points in seven of his last 10 games, including multi-point efforts Dec. 22 at Detroit and Dec. 28 at Vancouver, while his +10 rating is tied for the best among Flyers forwards.

All 12 of Farabee’s goals this season have come at even strength.