Consistency tops Flames’ list of 2020 resolutions
Before that, Calgary will try to rebound from a loss when it hosts the Blackhawks
After going 1-for-13 in the faceoff circle Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks, expect a bounce-back game from Calgary Flames centre Sean Monahan.
He’ll likely see a pile of ice time against the Chicago Blackhawks’ No. 1 pivot Jonathan Toews.
The 31-year-old Blackhawks captain was held off the score sheet Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and finished the game a minus-1. He’ll be motivated to ring in the new year properly.
Here are 5 Things to Watch for when the Blackhawks (17-17-6) line up against the Flames (20-16-5) in Calgary on Tuesday:
1
No. 300 for Talbot
It might not have been the way he drew it up, but when Cam Talbot relieved David Rittich in Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the 32-year-old Caledonia, Ont., native logged his 300th NHL game. “The route I took to get here wasn’t an easy road by any means,” Talbot said. “So to hit that milestone (Sunday) was pretty special … you can never take anything for granted in this league. You never know what’s going to happen from year to year.”
2
Lineup notes
Flames D TJ Brodie took a maintenance day and missed practice Monday. Meanwhile, when the team took its line rushes, it appeared that forwards Sam Bennett and Zac Rinaldo were the extras. Interim head coach Geoff Ward didn’t reveal his starting goaltender. Whether or not they go back to Rittich after he was pulled in the first period of Sunday’s game or start Talbot (who stopped 19 of 20 shots in relief ) is the question of the day.
3
Ringing in 2020 right
The Flames are striving for consistency in 2020, especially after their current pattern of winning one game and losing the next.
For them, it’s about responding from a subpar 5-2 loss to Vancouver. “For us, if anything else, we have to understand that coming off two divisional games, we still have to be emotionally engaged in the game (Tuesday),” Ward said. “Sometimes after you come off two games like that, you can take the foot off the accelerator a little bit.”
4
Having a ball
Following Monday’s practice, the Flames kicked around the ball again in a fun handballsoccer mix. “It’s important you leave the rink feeling good about yourself,” Ward said. “We’ve gotta get ready for a game. It’s important to put (Sunday’s) game behind us and end practice feeling good with a clear head and get ready for (Chicago).” After they play the Blackhawks, the Flames host the New York Rangers on Thursday before heading out on a two-game road trip to Minnesota (Sunday) and Chicago (Jan. 7).
5
About those Blackhawks
Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win at Columbus was the start of a three-game road trip for the Blackhawks. After ringing in the new year in Calgary, they’ll fly to Vancouver to play the Canucks on Thursday. Then they have a four-game homestand next week that includes a rematch with the Flames … Head coach Jeremy Colliton, who hails from Alberta, celebrated his one-year coaching anniversary on Nov. 6. Colliton took over the bench after Joel Quenneville was fired last year.
Kristen Anderson