Game-day Preview #34: Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators
By Daniel Bruce
The Ottawa Senators matchup against the Calgary Flames in the first of a mini 2-game series
15-14-3. 112. Flames -170. TSN. Monday, March 22. 10-20-3. 91. 7 PM ET
After a much needed four day break, the rested Senators lineup will take on a Flames team that is playing their third game in the last four days.
With these two teams already having met five times already this season, you’d think they’d be familiar with each other, but much has changed. In the time between their last meeting, Calgary fired Head Coach Geoff Ward and hired two-time Stanley Cup Champion Darryl Sutter to take over his duties and this structurally is a much different team. It appears that Sutter has been able to light a spark under the team despite being a new arrival, they Flames are 4-2-0 since the move.
Player to Watch: Filip Gustavsson
Gustavsson gets the net tonight for his first career start the game following his first appearance in the NHL where he looked solid, stopping all 8 shots.
This season being his third with the Senators, Gustavsson is finally starting to show signs of good play and he’s shown plenty of it so far. Starting the season with Södertälje of HockeyAllsvenskan, Gustavsson was phenomenal, posting a 0.919 SV% and a 2.30 GAA and has carried that play into the AHL where he boasts a 0.909 SV% and a 2.68 GAA, by far the best goalie so far in Belleville.
The 6’2″ net-minder is also just 22-years-old and with goalies being so unpredictable, this may be the start of an upwards trajectory for Gustavsson, where he can reposition himself within the organization.
News & Notes
- The Senators made the following roster moves:
Roster update: The #Sens have made the following roster moves:
— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) March 22, 2021
C Clark Bishop, G Filip Gustavsson and D Artem Zub have been recalled from the team's taxi squad.
LW Vitaly Abramov and G Kevin Mandolese have been recalled from @BellevilleSens and re-assigned to the taxi squad.
- Josh Brown returns to the lineup in place of Erik Gudbranson and Chris Tierney moves up to centre the 1st line with Brady Tkachuk and Connor Brown.
Monday morning game day lines:
— TSN 1200 (@TSN1200) March 22, 2021
Tkachuk Tierney CBrown
Stützle Norris Batherson
Paul White Dadonov
Dzingel Bishop Watson
Chabot Zaitsev
Reilly Zub
Wolanin JBrown
Coburn Gudbranson
Gustavsson-starters end.
Forsberg.
Starting Goalies
Filip Gustavsson
2020-21 Season Stats: 1 GP, 0-0-1, 1.000 SV%, 0.00 GAA
With Gustavsson getting some NHL time under his belt in his previous game he should feel less nervous stepping into his first career start.
Filip Gustavsson is in the home net for this morning's skate. Would be his first career NHL start tonight #Sens
— Kyle Bukauskas (@SNkylebukauskas) March 22, 2021
For this morning’s skate Gustavsson was in the starter’s end, it appears like a foregone conclusion that he will be tonight’s starter.
Jacob Markstrom
2020-21 Season Stats: 22 GP, 12-8-2, 0.903 SV%, 2.91 GAA
Markstrom gets the start for the Flames, and while his numbers may be a bit lower than usual he offers a huge challenge for the Senators tonight.
All stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick