The Carolina Hurricanes' winning streak reached seven games on Saturday when their five-game road trip began in Winnipeg. The team also extended its perfect start on the road, bringing that streak to five straight wins. A victory in Calgary on Sunday to complete the back-to-back would pull them into a tie for the franchise record, having already set the mark for the longest to begin a season.
The Jets scored first after a miscue in the defensive zone, but Mark Jankowski scored on the power play, extending his goal streak to six games. When Winnipeg regained the lead on another turnover, Jesperi Kotkaniemi tied it late in the second to square things again. In the third period, former Jet Nikolaj Ehlers hammered a shot home on the power play, providing the difference in a 3-2 win.
The Hurricanes and the Flames split the season series a year ago, with the home team winning each contest. Brandon Bussi and Devin Cooley went save-for-save during regulation before Ehlers broke the scoreless deadlock for a 1-0 overtime win. In March, the Flames used a torrid stretch in the second period to jump out to a big lead before holding on to beat the Canes, 5-4, at home.
Behind Enemy Lines: Calgary Flames
It has been a very tough start to the year for the Calgary Flames. They were one of the last teams to earn their first win of the season, finally beating the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday after a 0-5-0 start. They promptly dropped their next game on Thursday, a 6-2 beatdown by the Vegas Golden Knights. Their record truly reflects how slow the beginning of their campaign has been.
The Flames average the third-fewest goals per game (2.00) while being the league's worst defensive team (5.00 goals allowed per game). Their special teams are perfectly adequate, sitting in the middle of the league on the power play (20 percent) and the penalty kill (80 percent). It's about the only thing they have going for them, with their two points and .143 points percentage ranking dead last.
No one on the roster has more than two goals or four points, and neither goalie has looked particularly sharp. However, one clear advantage that Calgary will have tonight, outside of home ice, is rest. They haven't played since Thursday, while the Canes enter for the second half of a back-to-back. If not for that, this would have all the classic markings of a trap game.
Injury Report
Carolina: We'll have to wait and see whether Seth Jarvis will be good to go or not, though I'm not holding my breath that tonight will be the night. I'm still sticking with Thursday in Edmonton, but we might learn something soon. Otherwise, he joins Jordan Staal and Taylor Hall on the injured list for the Hurricanes.
Calgary: The big absence for the Flames is alternate captain Jonathan Huberdeau. He hasn't played a game since February, with a hip injury limiting him to 50 games last season. The timeline for his return remains unknown. They're also without young forward Samuel Honzek, who is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Players to Watch
Joel Farabee: When you're struggling, you need your best players to find ways to make a difference. Farabee is one of those guys for the Flames. He's tied for the team lead in goals (2) and points (4), and will likely see the ice a lot. Only Mikael Backlund averages more time on ice than him among Calgary's forwards. He also had a very good game (2 goals, 1 assist) when the Canes visited in March.
Zayne Parekh: There's no doubt that Parekh is the future of the Flames' defense, but the 20-year-old has yet to find solid footing in the NHL. This season, he has just one assist and is -10 through seven games. Parekh is a highly skilled defender, especially in the offensive zone. That side of his game can be seen in spurts, but there is a lot of room for growth before he reaches his full potential.
Felix Unger Sorum: I talked about one rookie yesterday, so let's talk about another for this game. Unger Sorum played really well to begin Saturday's contest in Winnipeg, but his ice time dwindled the longer the game went. He was the only forward to log under ten minutes of ice time. I want to see him give Rod Brind'Amour a reason to keep sending him out there against the Flames.
Brandon Bussi: I can say with 100 percent confidence that the net will belong to Bussi tonight. He started both games against Calgary last season, and his performances reflect his season as a whole. Early in the year, he shut them out. Late in the year, he played one of his worst games against them. Bussi has turned a corner over his last two starts, and he'll be asked to keep that going in Calgary.
Add us as a preferred source on Google