The Calgary Flames (9-14-3) will begin the second half of their road trip when they face the Carolina Hurricanes (15-7-2)
Carolina boasts one the most powerful offences in even-strength situations. Despite have a time on ice that ranks 28th, they have scored the fourth-highest goals. Their Shots on Goal and High-Danger Scoring Chances For (HDCF) rank second and fifth respectively.
Calgary’s own offence has been on a role as of late. This has been the fourth consecutive game, the team has put up double-digit HDCF and has come out 3-1-0.
The Hurricanes’ defence will have something to say about that: they have allowed the LOWEST High-Danger Scoring Chances Against (HDCA) in the league and as a result have allowed the sixth-lowest goals.
The Flames have allowed at least seven HDCA in their last seven games and they’ve given up two or more goals off them in six of them.
Both teams’ power play units rank in the bottom four of the league, although Calgary does get the fourth-most time on the man-advantage. Morgan Frost’s PP goal in the last game proved to be the game-winner.
Calgary’s penalty-kill has been great recently, going 34-for-39 for the month of November, good enough for eighth. Meanwhile, Carolina’s PK is the seven-worst this month.
Dustin Wolf is the listed as the expected goalie for Calgary. Devin Cooley put up good numbers in his last two games, a start and in relief of Wolf, so I expect that to change and for Cooley to make his second start. You need a goalie that is on his A-game against a team like Carolina anyways.
Freddy Andersen is listed as the expected goalie for Carlina. Tampa Bay and Florida, both pulled their starting Vezina Trophy-winning goalies to rest and give their backups ice-time, thinking Calgary was going to be a walk in the park. The Flames showed them it was anything BUT. I’m guessing the Hurricanes are not going to be making that mistake and rest their two-time Jennings Trophy-winning netminder.
Carolina clearly dominates even-strength hockey so Calgary will have plan this out carefully.
The streak of double-digit HDCF has to continue here.
The power play is not Calgary’s strong side but if it produces goals, then all the merrier.
The defence and PK are as strong as ever, especially the PK. Keep doing what you are doing.
Need a good game from the goalie.
