5 Things - Flames @ Islanders

1. Island Hopping

It's rare to be able to take a train to an island.

Kaien Island, home to the B.C. port city of Prince Rupert, is one such destination. 

Long Island is another, and that's where the Flames travelled by rail Friday ahead of a Saturday showdown against their 1972 expansion cousins. 

Calgary found their stride two nights ago in Newark, extending their unbeaten run to 51 consecutive games when scoring four or more goals as part of that 5-4 victory over the Devils. They got contributions from up and down the lineup, too. 

Not just on the scoresheet either, according to Head Coach Ryan Huska.

"That's the way we have to play every night, whether or not you have certain players in the lineup," he said of his team's last outing. "It shouldn't matter with your approach to the game.

I thought our defencemen did a good job staying up tight. And the forwards did a good job of skating."

And Huska is confident, too, that over these final 17 games of the regular season, his group will continue to work hard.

"That's a lot to do with the leadership that we do have, Mikael Backlund, and Blake Coleman," he said. "They're guys that are proud guys, and they'll ensure that our team continues to push."

Eleven Flames found the scoresheet against the Devils, and all but five of the skaters that dressed registered at least one shot on goal. 

Against an Islanders club that doesn't give up much (New York ranks fifth in the NHL in fewest goals against), they'll need that same total team effort in order to carry over their success.

2. Know Your Enemy

The Islanders are playing back-to-back home games this weekend, entertaining the Flames on the heels of a 3-2 setback Friday versus the Kings. Trevor Moore, Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored in the first period for L.A., before former Flames prospect Emil Heineman added a pair of replies for the home team.

“I can't say we had a bad start,” New York coach Patrick Roy told reporters after the game. “I know we dug ourselves a big hole being down 3-0. For some, when we're saying (we need) better starts, it's not turning over pucks, maybe.

"But overall, I mean, we stayed in the game. We were resilient. We almost scored at the end of the second period when we hit the post. We had our chances also in the third period after we made it a 3-2 game. But some nights, I mean, it doesn't happen.”

The Islanders wake up Saturday sitting third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points, but 20 of their 37 wins have come away from UBS Arena. In fact, only the Avalanche have more away victories this season than the Isles.

Mathew Barzal leads the team with 60 points, but New York struck gold in 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. The young defender sits third in rookie scoring with 48 points this season. His 20 goals this year are the most ever by an 18-year-old NHL defenceman, surpassing a mark of 17 set by former Flame - and Hall of Famer - Phil Housley in 1982-83.

3. Fast Facts

2025-26 Season Series

Tonight's game is the second and final meeting of the season series between the Flames and Islanders, with Calgary holding the upper hand in the 2025-26 season set.

Back on Jan. 17 at the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames raced out to a 4-0 lead, eventually winning 4-2 over the Islanders in the reverse fixture. Yegor Sharangovich, Adam Klapka, Justin Kirkland and Yan Kuznetsov had the Calgary tallies, while Dustin Wolf turned aside 28 of 30 shots in goal.

Did You Know?

Calgary enters this matchup with New York having earned at least a point in 11-consecutive meetings with the Islanders dating back to the 2018-19 season.

The Flames are 9-0-2 over that span, outscoring the Islanders 43-25 over their 11 matchups, while also going 4-0-1 on Long Island during that timeframe.

4. Milestones

There have been a few on this trip for the Flames, no doubt.

Big, round numbers in the games played category for Ryan Strome (900) and Adam Klapka (100).

A big achievement for captain Mikael Backlund in the points department Thursday in New Jersey, the career Flame netting his 600th point.

John Beecher scored his first goal as a Flame against the Devils - as part of his first career multi-goal game - while Victor Olofsson had his first point in Calgary colours in the same contest.

Olli Määttä can add his name to the list tonight with a point. The Finnish blueliner enters play on 199 career points, and with a goal or assist, he'd become the 14th defenceman from the 2012 NHL Draft class to reach 200 career points.

Määttä, selected at No. 22 by Pittsburgh in 2012, ranks third in points among Finnish skaters from his Draft class, behind only Chicago's Teuvo Teravainen and Esa Lindell of Dallas.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Matt Coronato

It's a homecoming for Coronato, who scored a pair of goals during his last visit to Long Island.

And the Greenlawn, N.Y. product has had some extra zip to his game, playing in front of family and friends all week.

In 12 career games against opponents hailing from the Empire State, Coronato has six goals and 11 points.

Islanders - Bo Horvat

The Canadian Olympian did not play in the first meeting between the two sides back in January, and he comes into Saturday's game leading the Islanders with 28 goals this season.

At 56.3% efficiency, Horvat is one of the better face-off men in the League, too.

Horvat and Flames defenceman Olli Määttä won a pair of OHL championships as London Knights teammates in 2012 and 2013.