Game Day Notebook - 28.10.24

Viva Las Vegas!

The Flames kick off a quick two-game road swing tonight against the Golden Knights with an 8 p.m. MT puck drop.

Get caught up with the talking points headed into tonight's divisional battle!

Back Where It Began

Defenders Daniil Miromanov and Brayden Pachal are set to skate in their first games back in Vegas since joining the Flames last season.

In the room after morning skate they both joked with smiles how they always wondered what the visitors room looked like.

Now they know.

"It's exciting, obviously spent some time here," Pachal said. "This organization gave me the opportunity to play in this league. anytime you can come and play your former team, its exciting and I'm looking forward to it.

"I really enjoy my time in Calgary, it's been great so far."

Pachal was picked up off waivers by the Flames back on Feb. 4. Since then, the bruising defender has skated in 41 games chipping in with a goal and six assists.

Miromanov was acquired via trade on March. 5, and quickly signed a two-year extension that kicked in this campaign. The 27-year-old has appeared in 27 games in Flames threads with eight points, three goals, five assists, over that stretch.

The duo have been key fixtures on the Flames blueline and have taken the opportunities given as they look to continue their growth.

"Means a lot, feels amazing too," Miromanov said as he reflected on the trade. "I was so grateful, so blessed to come over. Being in Vegas, I developed so much, but I’m more grateful for Calgary, giving me this opportunity to play, to be myself. I’m just very proud to be a Flame."

Dan The Man

Flames head coach Ryan Huska confirmed that Dan Vladar will make his fifth start of the season tonight, after Dustin Wolf got the nod Saturday night against the Jets.

The goalie rotation has continued with each netminder yet to skate in consecutive starts in the early stages of the season.

"They are both playing really well right now, for sure," Huska said. "Eventually there comes a time, but right now we feel with the way the schedule has been and the way it's shaking out to be over the next two and a half weeks, its a busy time for us. Keeping both guys in the net I think will be important."

Vladar heads into the matchup with a 2-1-1 mark along with a a 2.73 goals-against-average and a .904 SV%. In two career games against the Golden Knights, he sports a 1-0-1 record.

Getting Back On Track

The special teams battle will be an area of focus headed into tonight's clash.

The Golden Knights powerplay is clicking at 36% on the year, good for fourth in the league and has struck each time during their current three-game win streak.

On the flip side, the Flames are looking to reignite their play with the man-advantage after the hot start it got off to earlier on in the season, while also cleaning up their play on the penalty-kill.

"Whether your penalty kill is on a heater and its killing everything off or its struggling like ours is a little bit right now, you don't want to put them in a situation where they have to kill," Huska said. "I feel like we've taken poor penalties at bad times in games and that's one of the reasons why games we could've won or got points in we got nothing."