The Calgary Flames (24-18-10) and their stifling penalty killing defense are on the road to take on the Buffalo Sabres (26-20-4), one of the NHL’s top power play offenses, at KeyBank Center on Saturday.
Calgary is coming off a 2-1 loss against the Red Wings on Thursday. The Flames committed four penalties in the game, conceding one power play goal. Blake Coleman was the only player to find the net for the Flames.
Dan Vladar only had 15 saves on 17 shots against (.882%) in the loss. Buffalo fell 5-1 to the Hurricanes on February 1. Alex Tuch was the only player to score for the Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen saved only 29 of 33 shots against (.878%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Sabres won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 6-3 victory in October. Tuch (3G 0A) and Vinnie Hinostroza (0G 3A) each had three points to lead Buffalo. Trevor Lewis, Andrew Mangiapane, and Nikita Zadorov were on the scoresheet for Calgary. Eric Comrie got the win, saving 40 of 43 shots (.930%).
FACING OFF
Calgary is averaging 3.10 goals per game for the season, 18th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Sabres team that is allowing 3.38 goals a game (22nd).
Meanwhile, Buffalo has found the net 3.70 times a game on average, third in the league, and the Flames are allowing opponents to score 3.00 goals per game (15th).
Calgary averages more shots a game (35.3) than most teams in the league, ranking second, though the team’s 8.8% shooting percentage is 31st. Buffalo’s average of 32.5 attempts ranks 12th.
The Sabres’ fourth-ranked power play offense (25.29%) will be put to the test against the Flames, who are the league’s fourth-best penalty killing team (82.89%).
Calgary, meanwhile, has scored on 19.02% of their power play opportunities (24th), which the visitors will be aiming to add to against Buffalo’s 29th-ranked 73.33% penalty killing rate.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 46 and 43 points this season, Elias Lindholm and Tyler Toffoli have been the top skaters for the Flames. In the net, Vladar (11-4-4) is Calgary’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.77 GAA and a .904% save percentage. Jacob Markstrom (13-13-6) leads the Flames in games played in goal.
He has a GAA of 2.93 and a save percentage of .892%.Tage Thompson leads the Sabres in scoring with 68 points (8th in the league). He has 34 goals (4th in the league) and 34 assists in 50 games.
Craig Anderson (8-6-2) has the best goals against average for Buffalo at 2.73. He has a save percentage of .918%. Luukkonen (13-6-2) has played the most games in net for the Sabres this season. He has a 3.30 GAA and a .899% save percentage.
HOME AND AWAY
Calgary is 10-9-8 away from home this season. Buffalo is 11-13-2 at KeyBank Center this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Calgary Flames (-125)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
