5 THINGS - FLAMES VS. COYOTES
The Flames host the Arizona Coyotes on Hockey Is For Everyone Night
by TORIE PETERSON @ToriePeterson / CalgaryFlames.com
FLAMES (35-26-7) vs. COYOTES (33-27-8)
7:00 p.m. MT | TV: Sportsnet West | RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The FAN
2018-19 Season Series: 2-1-0
NEED-TO-KNOW
GAME DAY VIDEO
GAME DAY FEATURES
STAT PACK
Leading Scorers:
Flames:
Points - Matthew Tkachuk (57)
Goals - Elias Lindholm (29)
Coyotes:
Points - Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz (43)
Goals - Conor Garland (22)
Special Teams:
Flames:
PP - 20.7% (14th) / PK - 82.3% (8th)
Coyotes:
PP - 19.6% (18th) / PK - 82.7% (6th)
Advanced Stats:
Flames:
Shot Attempts: 50.6% (15th)
Coyotes:
Shot Attempts: 48.3% (24th)
Video: Setting up tonight's tilt with visiting Coyotes
1. US
After falling behind 2-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first period on Wednesday, the Flames battled back to score a pair of goals in the third period and TJ Brodie netted the game-winner in the extra frame.
"It's big," Matthew Tkachuk said afterwards. "We haven't been too good at home. It's important to get that first win (to start a five-game homestand). To come back after a tough road trip and get some wins, it's important for us to come and take care of business at home, which we haven't done as of late. Hopefully we can turn it around."
The win keeps the Flames in the Pacific Division's top three with a 35-26-7 record and 77 points. They trail the second-place Oilers by three points and the first-place Golden Knights by five points.
The club is looking to build off of Wednesday's win as they head into the stretch drive.
"I thought it took us a little while to get our legs going, which happens sometimes after long road trips like we just (finished)," Brodie said. "But once we got back to playing how we can play we played well and limited their chances and created."
Video: Coach on Lindholm's stellar play, and facing 'Yotes
2. THEM
The Coyotes are coming off a massive comeback win over Vancouver on Wednesday, downing the Canucks 4-2 after scoring a pair of goals in the third period just 2:29 apart to take the lead. Captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson added the fourth goal at the 19:25 mark of the final frame to ice the victory.
Netminder Darcy Keumper was outstanding for his club, making 36 saves.
With the win, Arizona is now tied with Vancouver, Nashville, and Winnipeg with 74 points - Minnesota sits in the first Western Conference Wildcard spot with 75 points and Vancouver sits second with their 34-26-6 record.
"We need these points, they are huge chasing these teams in the standings, so it was kind of like a do or die," Nick Schmaltz told NHL.com. "We battled hard and (Kuemper) was there when we needed him."
"We're a desperate group and we're playing some desperate hockey right now," Lawson Crouse added. "We held our composure and we started pouring it on their defence and hanging in, staying in piles and that was a key to it. We just got pucks to the net and stayed around the net and they went in for us."
Video: Tocchet, Hjalmarsson, Ekman-Larsson weigh in
3. US VS. THEM
Friday's tilt is the fourth and final match-up between the divisional rivals this season. The Flames lead the series with a 2-1-0 record in the opening three contests.
The Flames opened the series with a 4-3 OT win in Calgary thanks to Matthew Tkachuk's game-winner 4:26 into the extra frame on Nov. 5. They dropped the next tilt, falling 3-0 in Glendale on Nov. 16 but rebounded with a 5-2 win in Arizona on Dec. 10.
Video: Talbot stops 46 shots in Flames' sixth-straight win
The Flames have an all-time record of 99-77-20-7 against the Coyotes.
4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: Johnny Gaudreau notched an assist in Wednesday's victory, giving him 40 helpers on the season. This is the sixth time he has recorded 40 assists in a season in his career, which puts him in a tie for third for the most 40-assist seasons in Flames history. He is tied with Theo Fleury and Jarome Iginla. Gaudreau now has 15 assists over his last 18 games. ... THAT: Wednesday's third period comeback victory for the Flames was their 10th third period comeback victory this season. That is the second most of its kind in the NHL, most in the Western Conference. The Flames also have a league-leading 16 wins when trailing after the second period. ... THE OTHER: TJ Brodie potted the overtime winner on Wednesday, giving him goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season. That was Brodie's 12th career game-winning goal, which puts him into a tie for fourth for the most game-winning tallies amongst defenceman in franchise history. He is tied with Dougie Hamilton, Paul Reinhart, and Gary Suter.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH
Flames - Matthew Tkachuk
The Flames' leading scorer potted the equalizer at the 18:17 mark of the third period in Wednesday's 3-2 overtime comeback win over Columbus. Tkachuk has six points in his last five games and now has 57 points on the year.
Video: 'Wow, it's crazy ... these ones are important"
Coyotes - Lawson Crouse
Crouse scored the game-winner in Arizona's comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, giving him a career-high 15 goals on the year. The 22-year-old has suited up for 64 games this season, posting 25 points thus far.