CALGARY -- Playing the tail end of a back-to-back set in split cities, the Calgary Flames are expected to start goaltender Joey MacDonald against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.

Miikka Kiprusoff started a night ago against the Chicago Blackhawks, making 33 saves in a 2-0 losing effort at the United Center, his fourth consecutive outing.

Citing travel and the birth of his second son Oskar last week, coach Bob Hartley is opting to give Kiprusoff the night off, starting MacDonald for the ninth time this season.

"He was a busy man in the last couple of games, plus the traveling plus the new baby and everything," Hartley said. "It's a lot on his plate. After talking with Kipper, we both decided that we would give the start to Joey MacDonald."

MacDonald is 3-5-1 with a 2.98 goals against average and .894 save percentage this season.

CALGARY -- After a one-game absence, the Calgary Flames will insert forward Mikael Backlund back into the lineup for their game Sunday against the St. Louis Blues.

Backlund did not dress Friday in Calgary's 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's playing through a bruise associated with a crack in a bone in his foot sustained blocking a shot in a March 15 game against the Nashville Predators.

"When I'm out there playing I don't think about it," Backlund said. "Obviously it's not fully recovered, but it's not bothering me through games. It wasn't my best road trip so I've got to find a way back and get better."

Backlund missed 14 games earlier this season with a knee injury. He has four goals and seven points in 14 games this season.

The Blues, playing one night after their 3-0 win at the Edmonton Oilers, did not have a morning skate.

CALGARY -- Here are the projected lineups for Friday night’s game between the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome:

FLAMES

Alex Tanguay – Mike Cammalleri – Jarome Iginla

Curtis Glencross – Matt Stajan – Lee Stempniak

Jiri Hudler – Mikael Backlund – Blake Comeau

Tim Jackman – Steve Begin – Brian McGrattan

Jay Bouwmeester – TJ Brodie

Dennis Wideman – Mark Giordano

Derek Smith – Chris Butler

Miikka Kiprusoff

Joey MacDonald

CALGARY – Having missed two games due to injury, it comes as good news to Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley that forward Curtis Glencross is a game-time decision.

Having finally iced a healthy lineup with the return of Mikael Backlund on Friday, Glencross missed a back-to-back set against the Los Angeles Kings with an upper-body injury but could return Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings.

“That’s great news for us because obviously he’s a big part of our forward group," Hartley said. "He’s a big part of our team. That was great news.”

Glencross has eight goals and 13 points in 22 games for the Flames this season.

Here’s Calgary’s projected lineup against Detroit:

CALGARY – Facing a variety of lineup changes as the Detroit Red Wings prep for the Calgary Flames, coach Mike Babcock almost overlooked the return of forward Valtteri Filppula.

“Yep. He’s in," Babcock said casually. "Oh I guess that’s another lineup thing,”

Filppula has missed the past seven games for the Red Wings after suffering a shoulder injury against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 24. In his absence, Detroit has scored 10 goals and gone 3-2-2.

CALGARY – Here are the projected lineups for Wednesday night's game between the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Saddledome:

FLAMES

Curtis Glencross – Matt Stajan – Lee Stempniak

Jiri Hudler – Roman Cervenka – Jarome Iginla

Alex Tanguay – Mike Cammalleri – Sven Baertschi

Steve Begin – Blake Comeau – Brian McGrattan

Jay Bouwmeester – Mark Giordano

Dennis Wideman – Chris Butler

TJ Brodie – Derek Smith

Miikka Kiprusoff

Joey MacDonald

Scratched: Anton Babchuk, Tim Jackman, Cory Sarich

Injured: Mikael Backlund, Paul Byron

CALGARY -- After missing 13 games with a sprained knee ligament, goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff will make his return to the lineup when the Calgary Flames host the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.

Calgary coach Bob Hartley confirmed Kiprusoff's start Wednesday.

"I said 'Are you ready?' and he answered back, 'I want to play,'" Hartley said. "Once the medical staff clears you and the player tells the coach that he wants to play, you just open the door."

Kiprusoff's return meant Daniel Taylor, who went 1-1-0 in two games, was sent to Abbotsford of the American Hockey League.

A mainstay in Calgary's net for a decade, Kiprusoff has played 70 or more games in each of the last seven seasons for the Flames. Before getting hurt in the second period against the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 5, the 36-year-old netminder had played every minute for Calgary this season.

CALGARY -- A snowstorm in southern Alberta grounded the Vancouver Canucks.

Expecting to depart for Calgary after their 5-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, the Canucks were stuck in Vancouver as they waited for weather conditions to improve prior to their game against the Calgary Flames 8 p.m. ET Sunday at Scotiabank Saddledome.

On the Canucks' official Twitter account, the club announced its flight was scheduled to depart at 3:45 p.m. ET.

The game began on time.

CALGARY -- Goalie Daniel Taylor will make his second start of the season when the Calgary Flames host the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday.

For Taylor, who took the loss in a 4-0 defeat against the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 18, it will be the second start of his NHL career.

"I feel that he had two great periods in Phoenix," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "Joey MacDonald played quite a few games for us. Kipper [Miikka Kiprusoff] is getting healthier and he's getting closer, so we felt that at the same time as giving a break to Joey MacDonald, to have another look at Danny Taylor would be a good idea."

CALGARY – Having already missed nine games as a result of a sprain to his medial collateral ligament, Calgary Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is back on the ice.

The 36-year-old skated on his own Sunday after being evaluated by the Flames' medical staff on Saturday. It was the first time Kiprusoff skated since having the injury re-diagnosed as a Grade 2 sprain on February 12th.

"The medical staff last night were pretty pleased with what they saw from Miikka's condition," coach Bob Hartley said. "He will not be skating with the team, though. Tomorrow morning, we're going to re-evaluate how he is, is there pain, is he good and if he's still good, we're going to keep getting him on the ice and eventually you will see him with the team."

Kiprusoff originally suffered the injury against the Detroit Red Wings on February 5th and has played just seven games this season, posting a 3.24 goals against average and .870 save percentage.

He's played more than 70 games in each of the last seven seasons for Calgary.