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Conquering Kryptonite: Can the Flames Stop Getting Upset by the Blackhawks? |
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Morale is high as the Calgary Flames pass thanksgiving weekend with a 3-0-0 record through the first leg of the 2024-2025 regular season.
Justin Kirkland scored his first NHL goal at 28, Sam Honzek remains with the big team, and the vibes are so immaculate that you have to wonder if there is even one player remaining from the sour 2022-2023 season that mired both team and city just a year and a half ago.
They all things must pass, and you have to wonder when. Tonight will certainly be a test.
The Chicago Blackhawks are in town.
Yes, the team that finished 31st overall last year and 32nd the year before.
Chicago has quite complexly had Calgary’s number over the past two seasons. One upset snowballed into another and as time went on, the Flames appeared to lose belief in themselves when playing what has primarily been an American Hockey League roster.
Some players on the Blackhawks rise to the occasion more than others. In that sense, there may be some hope for tonight.
Sitting the Studs
Colin Blackwell (three goals and two assists in four games vs the Flames since Oct. 2022) is now on the Stars). Lukas Reichel (one goal and four assists in five games) hasn’t played a game this season and remains a healthy scratch.
Jason Dickenson (three goals, one assist, +6 in six games) will dress, but has zero points and is a –3 on the season. Max Domi and Sam Lafferty are gone. Jared Tinordi (two assists in three games) is Flames property now and can't hurt them anymore.
All that remains is the aforementioned Dickenson, Philipp Kurashev (two goals, two assists in four games), Andreas Athanasiou and a small ensemble of depth players remaining of the team that so frequently feasts on the Flames.
Oh, maybe one other player might tilt the scales tonight.
Star Factor
Connor Bedard has played the Calgary Flames once before. He recorded a secondary assist and five shots en route to a 3-1 victory over Calgary late last season on March 26.
The 19 year old from North Vancouver has a goal and five assists in three games this season. Three of those points came last game when the Blackhawks punched down on the lowly Edmonton Oilers in a 5-2 win.
Popping Off
Martin Pospisil is currently tied for first in primary assists across the NHL with four. He shares that spot with Evgeni Malkin.
The surprises just keep coming from the 24 year old Slovak. Pospisil and fellow Flames Rasmus Andersson and Jonathan Huberdeau all sit in a 16-way tie for 12th in scoring league-wide with five points apiece.
Conversationally, nine Flames players are producing at a point-per-game rate through three games this season: Huberdeau, Andersson, Pospisil, Anthony Mantha, Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, Connor Zary, Andrei Kuzmenko and Jake Bean.
Calgary Flames Projected Lineup
Courtesy of Derek Wills. @Fan960Wills Tyson Barrie draws out, Jake Bean draws in. Wolf starts.
Honzek-Kadri-Kuzmenko
Huberdeau-Pospisil-Mantha
Zary-Backlund-Coleman
Lomberg-Kirkland-Coronato
Weegar-Miromanov
Bahl-Andersson
Bean-Pachal
Wolf (Starter)
Vladar
Chicago Blackhawks Projected Lineup
Monday’s practice lines courtesy of Ben Pope. @BenPopeCST
Foligno-Bedard-Teravainen
Hall-Kurashev-Bertuzzi
Mikheyev-Dickinson-Anderson
Maroon-Athanasiou-Smith
(Reichel, Donato)
Martinez-Jones
Vlasic-Brodie
Kaiser-Murphy
Mrazek
Soderblom
Nine games on tap tonight. Puck drops around 7:10 p.m. MST. The Oilers game starts an hour later, so there will be more hockey to watch after the final buzzer. Catch the Flames game on Sportsnet West.
Stats courtesy of NaturalStatTrick and the National Hockey League.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
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