5thingsjets

1. Finish Off On A High Note

The Flames are 1-2 on this four-game road trip after two straight losses to the St. Louis Blues and are aiming to end on a winning note tonight against one of the top teams in the league (more on the Western Conference leading Jets below in Know Your Enemy).

It's no small task.

"They're a very good team ... they deserve full marks for being where they are right now, because they they play a really strong offensive game with a lot of pace, but they're very good defensively," said Flames head coach Ryan Huska after the team's practice Friday afternoon at the Canada Life Centre. "They don't give up a lot, so they make it difficult for teams that that come in here, in particular.

"So I think we have to be excited about the challenge and the opportunity to make sure that we're coming to play our game for a full 60 minutes."

When asked about the challenges the formidable Jets pose, their structure was keyed on by Huska.

"Well, it makes it hard to play against," he explained. "You know, I think the structure side of the game ... let me say, structure is winning hockey. When teams are detailed, they play the right way consistently over time, it's hard to play against. And that's the way we're trying to make our team is we want to be a team that's hard to play against as well.

"So when you're playing against a team that's very structured, you have to stay patient, you have to stay with your game, and you have to make sure you have a lot of discipline with that as well. So I'm looking forward to (the game) to see how we're going to do."

The two teams met earlier this season way back on Oct. 26, when the Jets clipped the Flames 5-3.

Mikael Backlund gave the Flames the lead just 28 seconds into the contest, but the Jets would answer shortly after and add one more later in the frame to lead 2-1 at the intermission. Rasmus Andersson would tie things up again with a sharp angle shot to knot the game at twos through 40.

In the third, the Jets once again took the lead before Nazem Kadri scored his then-fourth on the campaign to even things up. However, Winnipeg scored a late powerplay goal and added an empty netter for the victory.

We get you set for tonight's tilt with the Jets

2. Know Your Enemy

The Jets are, if you'll excuse the lazy pun, flying high.

They sit atop the Western Conference at 31-12-3 (65 points), with a four-point cushion on the Vegas Golden Knights heading into Friday's action, and were tied with the Washington Capitals for the NHL-points lead, although they have played an extra game.

They've won three straight and are 6-2-2 in their last 10, sporting an incredible 18-4-3 record at the Canada Life Centre. This is the final game of an eight-game homestand for the Jets.

In their last outing on Thursday, Matty Beniers scored for the visiting Kraken in the first period but Mark Scheifele would tally in the second with his team-leading 27th marker of the season, and blueliner Dylan DeMelo - playing in his 600th game - would get the game-winner with 27 seconds to go.

“That was awesome. Obviously, I’m a guy who doesn’t score a lot,” DeMelo told NHL.com's Darren Brown. “Six hundred games is a great accomplishment, I’m proud of it. It takes a lot of people to help you get there … That was special in its own right. And then to get the game-winner, that just kind of put the cherry on the top, and then to get the win. It was a really special night and one that I’ll remember.”

Coming into the tilt, the Jets had outscored their opposition 9-1 in the previous two wins (Colorado 3-0 and Vancouver 6-1).

Head coach Scott Arniel said at the end of the day, they got the job done against Seattle.

“I liked how we played the last two periods. Not so much the first,” he explained. “You’ve got to (give) credit to Seattle, too. They came hard. We gave up four odd-man rushes … But we settled down, and like you mentioned, we took over the second and it carried right over into the third.”

2024-25 Stats

Powerplay
Rate
Rank
Flames
19.7%
20th
Jets
32.6%
1st
Penalty Kill
Flames
70.9%
30th
Jets
79.5%
15th
Shot Attempts (via NaturalStatTrick)
Flames
52.08%
8th
Jets
49.05%
19th
High-Danger Scoring Chances (via NaturalStatTrick)
Flames
49.32%
17th
Jets
51.27%
10th


3. Razzle-Dazzle

It's an impressive milestone: 500 NHL games.

One made even more admirable when accomplished with the same team that drafted and developed a player.

Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson will hit the half century mark tonight against the Jets, all while donning the Flaming C.

He made his NHL debut on April 8, 2017 in San Jose after bring drafted by the Flames in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.

"Honestly, it's been hard at times, and it's been easy at times, but at the same time, it's never an easy league," said Andersson Friday. "And I'm proud of the work, and I'm proud to have done it with one organization - just proud to have done it in Calgary. It's something I look forward to, and it's something I'm excited about."

While Andersson knew the watershed moment was approaching, it still kind of snuck up on him.

"You look at it and you're like, 'Oh, that game,'" said Andersson. "And then last couple weeks, I've been focusing on myself, my game and, you know, trying to do the ground work (to get better), then you're so in your own bubble.

"And then, I got asked about it (Thursday). I was like, 'Oh yeah, it's coming up on Saturday,' but let's talk about it tomorrow. Let's not talk about it today. I gotta get through (Thursday night against the Blues) and then think about it. But yeah, as I said, just super proud of it. And it's a milestone for sure. And as I said, doing it with the Flames is going to be even more special, perfect."

Head Coach Ryan Huska - who was the bench boss when Andersson was with the club's farm team in Stockton - has been right there for his journey, playing a large role in his development.

"And it's funny when I think back to Ras and I when we first started, there are some growing pains along the way," said Huska with a friendly grin Friday. "And you sometimes wondered - how is this guy going to be? You can see the ability that he has and the type of defenceman and the passion that he had for the game, but he had to make some changes to his approach, and I love that he was able to do that, and I love that he's made himself a really solid defenceman at the NHL level. And I'm happy for him.

"I think it says a lot for our team to value the development that we've put into Ras making him or helping him become the player that he has been. And I'm excited for him. I love seeing players hit those milestones."

newrasuse

4. Fast Facts

Lomberghini Hits 300:

Ryan Lomberg is also looking to have a milestone night tonight and can skate in his 300th NHL contest. Lomberg began his professional career with Calgary, being signed as a free agent out of the USHL on March 19, 2017. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native would make his NHL debut the following season on Jan. 25, 2018 in Edmonton, making his mark on the Battle of Alberta with a fight in his first game. He would go on to split time between the NHL and AHL in 2018-19 and eventually was signed by Florida as a free agent. He would help the Panthers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024, and capture the 2024 Stanley Cup. He was re-signed by Calgary as a free agent this past summer.

Hey Did You Know:

Flames blueliner MacKenzie Weegar and Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers were teammates on the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL in 2013-14. Weegar posted a career-best 59 points with 12 goals and 47 assists while Ehlers finished second on the Mooseheads in scoring with 104 points.

Stick tap to Flames PR's Jordan Bay for these tidbits

5. Players To Watch

Flames – Yegor Sharangovich

Sharky scored a beauty against the Blues on Thursday and has two goals and three points in his last three outings.

Sharangovich wires one past Joel Hofer in the second period

Jets - Kyle Connor

The forward leads the team in scoring (60 points) and had a hat-trick and four points in the win over Vancouver on Jan. 14.

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