Game Preview: Flames vs Winnipeg Jets

CALGARY FLAMES (30-25-12 72 points) vs. WINNIPEG JETS (32-28-8 72 points) GAME 68

PREVIEW:

Tonight features the first match-up since Mar. 31, 1996 between the Flames and the Winnipeg Jets. Both teams are in fierce playoff battles in their respective conferences and need every point they can get down the stretch. The Flames haven’t played since Tuesday and better have enjoyed the two days off as the rest of the month is crazy busy with 13 games in the next 23 days. The Jets on the other hand will finish off a back-to-back tonight as they went down in defeat, 3-2 to the Canucks last night in Vancouver.

Even with the Jets return to Calgary tonight, the entire spotlight has been on 18-year old Sven Baertschi as he will make his much anticipated Flames debut tonight. Baertschi, who has missed time due to injury and the WJC, has been lighting up the WHL at a two point per-game pace with 94 points in 47 games played and sits 9^th in league scoring. Baertschi will start on the Flames third line alongside Greg Nemisz and Tom Kostopoulos.

The Jets are scratching and clawing not only at the last playoff spot but also for the third spot and the Southeast Division title. With the loss to the Canucks last night, the Jets slipped from 8^th to 9^th as the Capitals even with the same amount of points moved ahead due to having played one less game. The Jets have done it by committee all season but have been led by Ondrej Pavalec and somewhat surprising Blake Wheeler. Wheeler leads the Jets with 55 points and has a goal in three straight games. The Jets can move back into 8^th and a tie for the Southeast Division with a victory tonight.

As much pressure as there is on Baertschi, from what I have read and heard about him, he seems like a kid that can’t only handle it but thrive off it. Baertschi has a very strong chance to stick with the big club next year, so this will be a mini showcase to what we could expect. Baertschi will probably stick around for a couple games but the max is nine as there is no point of wasting a year off his entry level contract at this point and with the Flames already at the league maximum 50 contracts, it’s impossible for them to do it anyways. Do I think Baertschi will step in and produce point right away? No, but I am extremely excited to see the kid and wouldn’t be surprised if he shows some flash and puts up a couple points in the games that he is here. Once again with all the Flames injuries (8 regulars out of the line-up), the Flames have to play a complete team game and full 60 minutes. It isn’t going to get much closer than it is now in the West, even the East for that matter, and for this game to be anything less than a playoff type atmosphere would be a shame.

PROJECTED LINES:

Flames:                                                                        Jets:

1-TANGUAY-STAJAN-IGINLA                                      1-LADD-LITTLE-WHEELER

2-GLENCROSS-JOKINEN-MOSS                               2-KANE-BURMISTROV-WELLWOOD

3-KOSTOPOULOS-NEMISZ-BAERTSCHI                  3-GLASS-SLATER-THORBURN

4-KOLANOS-HORAK-DESBIENS                                4-STAPELTON-ANTROPOV-MIETTINEN

1-BOUWMEESTER-SMITH                                          1-BYFUGLIEN-ENSTROM

2-GIORDANO-HANNAN                                               2-HAINSEY-CLITSOME

3-BRODIE-SARICH                                                      3-STUART-JONES

1-KIPRUSOFF                                                              1-PAVELEC

2-KARLSSON                                                               2-MASON

EXTRA- BABCHUK                                                      EXTRA- FEHR, FLOOD

INJURIES:

Flames: RW- Tim Jackman (Undisclosed- Day-to-Day), C- Mike Cammalleri (Upper Body- Day-to-Day), LW Lance Bouma (Upper Body- Day-to-Day), RW Blake Comeau (Shoulder- Day-to-Day) Chris Butler (Lower Body- IR), C- Mikael Backlund (Upper Body- IR), C- Blair Jones (Ankle- IR), RW- Lee Stempniak (Ankle- IR)

Jets: D- Zach Bogosian (Wrist- Day-to-Day)

STATS:

Flames

Jets

PP-

Flames: 17.1% (14^th)

Jets: 19.3% (9^th)

PK-

Flames: 82.6% (11^th)

Jets: 80.8% (22^nd)

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS:

DID YOU KNOW?

• Last ten games: Flames 3-3-4, Jets 6-2-2
• Flames have gone 1-2-3 in their past six games at the Dome
• Technically the last time these franchises met, the Flames beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-2 in their only meeting in 2010-11.
• Curtis Glencross has been red hot as of late with goals in 5 consecutive games.
• Matt Stajan continues to sit one goal shy of career number 100.
• The Jets have struggled on the road with an 11-18-4 record.
• The MTS Centre has been every this it was anticipated it to be as the Jets hold a 21-10-4 record on home ice.

GAME DAY QUOTE:

"Crazy nervous but I think that's normal… If you jump in right now, it's so important - the playoff run - so if you jump in now, it's a huge difference than the start of the season."

 – Sven Baertschi, who will make his much anticipated Flames debut tonight

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