The Calgary Flames (16-11-7) are gearing up to return from their Christmas break with the start of a mini two-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks tonight. The match will hold special significance for rookie Macklin Celebrini, who will be facing the Flames for the first time in his burgeoning career. Recently, the Flames came up against Connor Bedard, who scored his first career goal against them during their 6-4 loss.
For goalie Dustin Wolf, tonight’s game is particularly sentimental as he hails from Gilroy, California, which is just half an hour south of San Jose. The 23-year-old goaltender is having a solid season overall, with stats reading 10 wins, 5 losses, and 2 overtime losses, sporting a 2.80 goals-against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage. But on the road this season, he struggles, holding just one victory, four losses, and one overtime loss, along with a far less favorable 4.16 GAA and .862 save percentage. Notably, he has faced more success against California teams like the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, boasting two wins and no losses, with impressive numbers: 2.00 GAA and .921 SV%.
Meanwhile, the Sharks are set to start rookie goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, who has had limited playtime since joining San Jose from the Nashville Predators earlier this season, bringing with him records of one win, one loss, and two overtime losses from four games.
On the offensive side, Celebrini is making headlines with his impressive performance, particularly on home ice. He has netted nine goals and accumulated 15 points through 12 games played at SAP Center. Over the course of the entire season so far, he has tallied 11 goals and 26 points across 26 games, situationally ranking fourth on his team and positioning himself as a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
Looking at the broader standings, the Flames currently sit fifth in the Pacific Division with 39 points, just two points shy of the Vancouver Canucks, who hold the final wildcard spot for the playoffs. On the contrary, the Sharks, with only 28 points, find themselves at the bottom of the division and are vying for another opportunity to secure the top pick through the NHL Draft Lottery for the second consecutive season.
When it concerns the leaders among both teams, for the Flames, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri lead with 13 goals each, closely followed by Tyler Toffoli on the Sharks with 14 goals. On assists, MacKenzie Weegar from the Flames tops the list with 14, compared to Mikael Granlund from San Jose, who has achieved 23 assists. The point leader for Calgary is Huberdeau with 25 points, and Granlund leads the Sharks with 34 points.
Regarding the Flames' lineup for the game, it appears the following skaters will be out on the ice: Jonathan Huberdeau lines up with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil; Blake Coleman will play alongside Mikael Backlund and Matt Coronato; Yegor Sharangovich will be positioned with Connor Zary and Jakob Pelletier; and Ryan Lomberg will skate with Kevin Rooney and Walker Duehr. On the defense side, Kevin Bahl pairs with Rasmus Andersson, Joel Hanley with Mackenzie Weegar, and Jake Bean with Brayden Pachal. Meanwhile, Dustin Wolf will be back guarding the net.
Calgary's head coach noted the significance of the game and expressed his belief about the competitive dynamic between these two teams. He remarked, "Every time we play against teams at the bottom of the standings, they bring their A-game. We have to be ready to match their intensity."
Tonight’s matchup is the first of four meetings between the Flames and Sharks during the 2024-25 season, with the next game scheduled at the Saddledome on February 23, followed by two encounters later on in April. Fans can catch the game live on several networks including NBCSCA, TVAS, CityTV, Sportsnet, CBC, and Sportsnet+, with the puck set to drop at 8 p.m. MT.
