5 Things - Flames vs. Blues

1. Last Time Out

They did it for the Gaudreaus.

But the Flames proved a few points about themselves too, Tuesday, in that 3-0 blanking of the Blue Jackets.

In doing so, they held their opponents to a season-low 16 shots on goal, while owning a two-thirds share of the high-danger chances over the course of the 60 minutes.

In layman's terms, they locked things down.

Tonight, Calgary takes a six-game home winning streak into the back end of this two-game, mini homestand, as St. Louis pays its lone regular-season visit to the Scotiabank Saddledome. TICKETS

This team continues to find ways to keep pucks out of its own net - especially on home ice.

Consider that over this six-game run, the Flames have surrendered only seven goals against, two of those coming during a late-game blip two Saturdays ago in a 4-3 shootout win over top-ranked Minnesota.

There have been three shutout performances, too, since November 1.

Shining moments, for sure, for netminders Dan Vladar and Dustin Wolf, but also an indication of this group's recipe for success.

In fact, according to Natural Stat Trick, only one team, the aforementioned Wild, have a better even strength save percentage than the .927 put forth by the Flames through 26 games this season.

Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar sit second and third, respectively, in shot blocks at 5-on-5, too.

During the last homestand, during which the Flames went 4-0-0, Blake Coleman half-jokingly apologized to the fans for the defence-first style of play his team has adopted in search of wins.

As long as the wins keep coming, there's nothing to be sorry for.

2. Know Your Enemy

The Blues come to town for the second chapter in their Western Canadian road swing having scored a 4-1 win in Winnipeg two nights ago.

St. Louis now sits 3-0-1 under new head coach Jim Montgomery - who goes in search of his second victory against the Flames this season, having already posted a 4-3 overtime triumph while with the Boston Bruins just under a month ago.

The Blues (12-12-2) are right in the mix in the all-too-early Western Conference wild card discussion, but they're also one of four Western Conference clubs to hold a winning record on the road, and a losing record at home (along with the Canucks, Oilers and Ducks).

Jordan Kyrou leads the team with 22 points, while local products Dylan Holloway (Calgary) and Jake Neighbours (Airdrie) are tied for second among the club's goal-scoring leaders with eight tallies apiece.

Defensively, St. Louis has pedigree - just look at the recently announced Canadian roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

Blueliner Colton Parayko and goaltender Jordan Binnington will both don Canada's colours for the four-team event in February.

3. Fast Facts

2023-24 Season Series

The Blues swept the three-game season set between these two clubs in 2023-24, winning twice at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Joel Hofer posted a shutout victory in the opener, a 3-0 St. Louis win Oct. 26, while Brandon Saad's goal at 19:12 of the third period helped erase a 3-1 deficit as the Blues won 4-3 at the 'Dome Jan. 23.

Calgary got a pair of tallies from Andrei Kuzmenko, and a single from Jonathan Huberdeau, in their stop in the Gateway City last Mar. 28, but the home side came away victorious by a 5-3 scoreline.

Did You Know

Tuesday's win over Columbus was Calgary's 10th on home ice this season, coming in the Flames' 13th home fixture, which marks the second-fastest race to 10 home wins in franchise history.

The quickest such instance came during the Stanley Cup season of 1988-89, when Calgary earned 10 home-ice victories from their first 12 attempts.

Stick tap to Flames PR specialist - and all-around good guy - Jordan Bay, for this information.

4. How Swede It Is

Rasmus Andersson will be carrying the Flames flag - in addition to a Swedish one - at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston.

The defenceman was the only Calgary player named to the four participating rosters, but even as the media grappled with long-shelved PTSD over conducting an availability over Zoom Wednesday, his excitement shone through the computer screen.

After all, it's the first time Andersson's gotten to sport the Tre Kronor in a decade, his last national tournament appearance coming at the World Under-18's in 2014 - a bronze medal game loss to Canada, to be exact.

This call-up means something to Andersson. It's representative of his elevated stature on a Calgary blueline that's undergone a transformation over the last calendar year, but also of his continued commitment to excellence over the course of his Flames career.

A feather in the cap.

And to borrow a soccer term, some more caps on his career CV.

For more on Andersson and the 4 Nations Face-Off, click here.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Rasmus Andersson

The Flames blueliner was all over it Tuesday, scoring the game-winner on a second-period powerplay, before playing a pivotal role in the poignant Three Stars selection alongside captain Mikael Backlund and Guy Gaudreau, all of whom embraced at centre ice when Johnny Gaudreau was named the game's First Star.

Andersson should have some extra confidence, too, after Wednesday's 4 Nations Face-Off announcement, a nod Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska noted was a tip of the cap to the 28-year-old's body of work, and not just his strong start to the 2024-25 season.

He leads the Flames blueline corps with six goals, and is one of a half-dozen Calgary blueliners to have lit the lamp already this season.

Blues - Dylan Holloway

The Calgarian is off to a sensational start to his Blues career, after signing an offer sheet with St. Louis over the summer.

The ex-Oiler has scored eight goals and 15 points, and already has set career bests in most offensive categories this season.

The 23-year-old has recorded points in two of his three career visits to the Scotiabank Saddledome, and comes home with goals in each of his last three games, and points in all of his last four outings.