Can Calgary Flames Overcome Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Saddledome?
As the Calgary Flames prepare to host the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Saddledome, fans are eager to see if their team can bounce back from a recent defeat. The Flames' performance in their last game against the Seattle Kraken on March 5th was less than stellar, with a final score of 4-2 in favor of the Kraken. Despite putting up a solid number of shots at 37 and winning over half of their faceoffs, they fell short where it mattered most: on the scoreboard.
The Flames showed some promise on powerplays, scoring once out of four opportunities and maintaining a powerplay faceoff win percentage of 57 percent. However, they must capitalize more effectively on these chances against Montreal. Their penalty kill also needs tightening; while they managed to save all but one shorthanded shot against Seattle, discipline will be key to avoiding costly penalties.
On the other hand, looking back at their game against Pittsburgh Penguins on March 3rd provides a glimmer of hope for CGY fans. The Flames emerged victorious with an impressive shooting percentage of 20 percent and secured four points by leveraging even-strength play where they scored three out of their total four goals.
Against Los Angeles Kings on February 28th, CGY demonstrated resilience and offensive prowess by rallying from behind to win with an even-strength goal advantage and an empty-netter sealing a scoreline that read favorably for them: 4-2.
The upcoming match presents an opportunity for redemption as well as continuation for CGY's winning ways when not facing adversity early in games. They'll need to maintain strong even-strength play while improving special teams' effectiveness if they want to secure another home victory.
MTL is not without its strengths; however, given CGY's recent form and home advantage—where fan support has been unwavering—the scales tip slightly towards Calgary's favor. It will be crucial for players like Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan (if healthy) to step up offensively while goaltender Jacob Markstrom shores up his netminding duties after allowing four goals last time out.
The scheduled puck drop is set for March 16th at 5:00 PM Mountain Time (7:00 PM Eastern Time) at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Fans can catch all the action live via ESPN+ online broadcast network. Will this be another showcase moment for CGY or will MTL spoil the party? Only time will tell as both teams vie fiercely on Canadian ice.