Calgary Flames (12-7-4) at Columbus Blue Jackets (9-9-3)
When: Friday, 1 p.m. MT, Nationwide Arena
TV: Sportsnet One. Radio: Sportsnet 960 The Fan
Odds: Flames -118, Blue Jackets -102
The buzz
Friday’s matinee between the Blue Jackets and Flames promises to be an emotional affair. It’s the first meeting of the two teams since Johnny Gaudreau’s death in late August. Gaudreau, who spent nine seasons in Calgary and two more in Columbus, was still in the prime of his career when he was struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding a bicycle along a rural road in his home state of New Jersey. His younger brother, Matthew, was killed in the same tragedy. Johnny’s wife, Meredith, and two kids still live in Columbus. In fact, Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson planned to visit the family Thursday as Americans celebrated their Thanksgiving holiday. Andersson is one of four roster holdovers from Gaudreau’s last campaign in Calgary.
With so much emotion on both sides, the game feels like a secondary storyline Friday. The Flames continue to sit in second spot in the Pacific Division but have lost two in a row — one in regulation and the other in overtime — to start a four-game road trip that wraps Saturday in Pittsburgh.
The quote
“It’s just kind of surreal. It still kind of feels like (Gaudreau) is going to be there … There’s going to be a little bit of a heavy presence, just knowing he’s not there. But I think you have to look at it in a way that he’ll be looking down and watching the game.”
— Flames forward Blake Coleman, who like Andersson and captain Mikael Backlund travelled to Gaudreau’s funeral in early September
The news
- The Flames have stuck with the same lineup on the first two stops on this road trip. With no morning skate before this early start, there will be no hints on whether any of the extras — Tyson Barrie, Jake Bean or Adam Klapka — will be inserted into the lineup. Bean, 26, spent three seasons on the Blue Jackets’ blue-line before signing this summer with his hometown team.
- Yegor Chinakhov is a game-time decision for the hosts. The 23-year-old forward is fourth on the Blue Jackets’ scoring charts, with 14 points.
- Calgary’s power-play is suddenly scorching, with goals in five consecutive games. Connor Zary notched a man-advantage marker in Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime loss in Detroit.
- The Blue Jackets have been strong at home, with a 7-3-1 record this fall at Nationwide Arena.
- The Flames are cutting ties with forward prospect Ilya Nikolaev. He was reportedly on unconditional waivers Thursday for the purpose of a mutual contract termination. Nikolaev was a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. Now 23, he’s appeared in nine games with the Wranglers this season, registering four assists.
The projected lineup
Forwards
Pospisil-Kadri-Kuzmenko
Huberdeau-Zary-Coleman
Sharangovich-Backlund-Coronato
Lomberg-Rooney-Kirkland
Defence
Bahl-Andersson
Weegar-Miromanov
Hanley-Pachal
Goalies
Wolf
Vladar
The injuries
Anthony Mantha (knee)
In case you missed it
Gaudreau’s best friend and longtime Flames linemate, Sean Monahan, is having a heck of a season so far in Columbus, and that’s despite the heart-wrenching circumstances. Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson chatted Thursday with Monahan, who says the hardest part is being around Gaudreau’s kids, because “we were really looking forward to being dads together.”