Flames' Taylor to start in goal vs. Canucks

Sunday, 03.03.2013 / 2:03 PM

By Aaron Vickers - NHL.com Correspondent / 2012-2013 At the Rink blog

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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."

Prior to this season, the 26-year-old's only previous NHL action came in a relief appearance during the 2007-08 season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.

Another chance to get between the pipes is important to Taylor, according to teammate TJ Brodie.

"It's been a long time and it's a big opportunity," said Brodie, who has played parts of two seasons with Taylor as a member of the Flames and Abbotsford Heat, Calgary's American Hockey League affiliate.

"It's always a big deal, getting a chance."

Brian McGrattan might get the chance to make his Flames debut Sunday. He was acquired from the Nashville Predators in exchange for minor-league defenseman Joe Piskula on Thursday.

"We all know what Brian McGrattan brings to our hockey club, and at the same time the positive effects that it's going to have in our locker room and on the visitors' team bench at the same time," Hartley said.

"We just want to finalize a couple of things. For the first time this season, we'll have a game-time decision."

Here is the lineup the Flames likely will use Sunday:

Alex Tanguay - Matt Stajan - Lee Stempniak

Curtis Glencross - Mike Cammalleri - Sven Baertschi

Jiri Hudler - Roman Cervenka - Jarome Iginla

Steve Begin - Blake Comeau - Brian McGrattan

Jay Bouwmeester - Mark Giordano

Dennis Wideman - TJ Brodie

Derek Smith - Chris Butler

Daniel Taylor

Joey MacDonald

Scratched: Anton Babchuk, Tim Jackman, Cory Sarich