After a couple of well-deserved days off, the Calgary Flames (6-13-3) are back in action at home against 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference finalists Dallas Stars (13-5-3).
It’s a good thing Calgary are coming off their biggest win against Buffalo because they are going to need all the momentum they can get against a mighty Dallas team that has won six of their last seven.
We mentioned on Friday that the Flames have recorded the biggest differential in ranking between their Total Shots (ranked 3rd) and High-Danger Scoring Chances produced (ranked 16th) with 13 in franchise history. That will become all the more apparent when they face off against expected goalie Jake Oettinger, who has the fourth-highest wins (6), sixth-highest save percentage (.903) and sixth-lowest GAA (2.72) for net-minders that have played at least 15 games. He and the Stars’ other available goalie Casey DeSmith (sv%: 0.913, GAA: 2.29, rec: 4-1-1) have been responsible for Dallas having the third-highest save percentage in even-strength situations.
Dallas’s weakness lies in their offence.
The Stars’ time on ice is ranked 12th but their shots on goal is ranked 28th, scoring chances produced is ranked 27th and high-danger scoring chances produced is ranked 21st.
Their defence is much better with shots on goal against at 16th, scoring chances given up at 15th and high-danger scoring chances given up at 10th.
Thanks to this blue line and the Dallas goalie unit, the Stars have given up the fourth-lowest goals in even-strength situations (39).
In terms of the power play, Calgary has scored only twice in November and one came off a 6v4 situation, which is highly unlikely to come again.
The Stars power play is ranked second in the league, and their time on the ice is ranked 15th. As always, it’s always preferable to avoid going to the box than giving the Stars man-advantage any opportunity.
The Flames and Stars penalty-kill are ranked 10th and 12th respectively.
The confirmed goalie for the Flames will be Devin Cooley. He will making his first consecutive start for Calgary and his GAA of 1.80 is the lowest in the league for netminders that have played at least six games, so he has definitely earned it.
This is the ultimate test for the Flames offence: Against a good defence. Against an outstanding goalie.
This is your moment to prove yourself, so go capture it.
Don’t allow the second-ranked Dallas power play an opportunity to shine, so don’t commit unnecessary penalties. If it comes to that, the PK unit needs to come up big.
Expectation are high from goalie Cooley.
