GAMEDAY: Game Day: Calgary Flames at Ottawa Senators

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CALGARY FLAMES 7-3-4 AT OTTAWA SENATORS 3-9-1

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Tonight, 5pm, Canadian Tire Center

TV: TSN5

RADIO: TSN 1200 AM, exclusive 94.5 FM

THE TKACHUK CUP

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and his brother, Matthew, a Flames winger, saw each other a lot last season, when both teams were in the all-Canadian North Division. This time it will return to normal with the two brothers facing each other only twice this season. Ideally, they would like to be teammates on the United States Olympic team in Beijing in February; that decision will be made in January. It’s always fun to watch them go head-to-head and mom Chantal Tkachuk will be in the house for this one. It is a special day for the family.

POINT LEADERS

Johnny Gaudreau 14 4 11 15 +7
Elias Lindholm 14 7 7 14 +10
Andrew Mangiapane 14 9 2 11 +3

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OTTAWA SENATORS

Drake Batherson 13 5 7 12-1
Josh Norris 13 6 3 9 +1
Connor Brown 11 2 5 7-7

SPECIAL TEAMS

CGY PP 23.3% 8th; PK 84.1% 11th
OTT PP 16.3% of 21; PK 70.6% 28o

THREE THINGS TO SEE

1. After losing 2-1 in overtime to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Friday night, the Flames have not won in three straight games. They will be well rested as they prepare to face the senators after spending a day off in Ottawa on Saturday. This is the third game of a six-game road swing for the Flames; continues Tuesday in Philadelphia. Calgary is off to a good start this season but needs to get out of this slump.

2. The Flames had a hard time against the Senators last season, when Ottawa went 6-3-0 against them. The Senators were 4-1-0 at home during that series. Ottawa scored four consecutive victories over Calgary from March 7 to April 19. Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau has been nearly one point a game against the Senators, with six goals and 20 points in 21 career games. The Flames have struggled to get the puck on the net recently, with just four goals in their last three games.

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3. The Senators entered Saturday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 1-8-1 record in the previous 10 games, placing them last in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa had eight players on the COVID-19 protocol, plus associate coach Jack Capuano. Ottawa spoke to the NHL about the idea of ​​postponing this weekend’s games, but with the schedule tight due to the Olympic off-break in February, the NHL declined to make changes. Expect to see Anton Forsberg get started on the net on this one because Matt Murray remains on the COVID-19 protocol.

ALSO: RELIEF: Senators end drift with win over Penguins

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