The Calgary Flames are gearing up for an important match against the Nashville Predators this Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. MT, following a rough start to their road trip with two consecutive losses. With a current record of 2-8-2 and just 6 points, the Flames are in desperate need of victories to turn their season around. The game will be broadcast on Sportsnet’s national feed and Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
Calgary’s lineup appears to be subject to change, as they made several adjustments after an optional skate in Ottawa before flying to Nashville. Jonathan Huberdeau is expected to lead the top line alongside Nazem Kadri and Morgan Frost, while Sam Honzek, Mikael Backlund, and Blake Coleman form another key trio. Dustin Wolf is anticipated to be in goal today, with Devin Cooley likely to take over for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia. Zayne Parekh’s status remains uncertain due to a minor ailment, and there are possibilities for other lineup changes as the coaching staff continues to assess player performance.
Historically, the Flames have faced a challenging start, with their worst record of 1-8-3 in the 1995-96 season. Currently just ahead of that pace, the team has shown glimpses of improvement in their performance, but they need to significantly reduce turnovers and avoid penalties that could hinder their progress. Despite some misfortune in securing wins, there is still hope that continued hard work will yield better results and possibly lead the team to a strong finish, emulating the postseason success of the ’95-96 squad.
On the opposing side, the Nashville Predators come into the game with a record of 4-6-2. Similar to the Flames, the Predators have struggled with consistency this season, demonstrating a tendency to win and lose in streaks. Currently, they are on a three-game losing streak after some previous successes. Juuse Saros is expected to start in net, bolstered by a lineup featuring key players like Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Both teams are missing notable players, with the Flames without Martin Pospisil and the Predators missing Roman Josi and Adam Wilsby.
As the Flames and Predators prepare to clash for the first of three matchups this season, it’s evident that both teams are looking to break out of their recent struggles and find their rhythm. Fans are hopeful that today could mark a turning point for Calgary, allowing them to gather some much-needed momentum moving forward.