NHL Preview: Calgary Frames look for third straight win from Detroit Red Wings
The Calgary Flames appear to have begun to turn their season around with two consecutive wins. They'll have a tough time trying to make it three in a row as they travel to Hockeytown to take on the Detroit
Red Wings who are off to a typically strong start.
Previous meetings and recent games
Calgary and Detroit split their season series last year with the visitor winning each time. Detroit took the last meeting by a score of 3-2 in Calgary back on 15 March.
After getting shutout in two of their three opening games, the Flames have bounced back, winning two in a row and earning their own first shutout of the year by beating the Nashville Predators on Tuesday
19 October
The Red Wings are 3-1-1 to start the year and defeating the Phoenix Coyotes in their last game by a score of 2-1 on 16 October.
How they match up
Jimmy Howard and Chris Osgood have shared the load in nets for the Red Wings, but after the latter gave up four goals on just 15 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, the former has proven to be the
more reliable of the two.
For the Flames, there's only one man to go to and that is Finnish-born Miikka Kiprusoff who is coming off his first shutout of the season after blanking the Nashville Predators.
Henrik Zetterberg has yet to score a goal this season for the Red Wings which is worrisome, and veteran defenceman Brian Rafalski is still injured, but the Red Wings have had enough people capable of filling
in the holes. Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen lead the team in goals with three each, while Todd Bertuzzi is the team leader in points with six.
Despite getting five goals against the Edmonton Oilers back on 16 October, the Flames forwards have had some trouble lighting the lamp this season.
One of the guys they brought in to help them with their scoring troubles, Olli Jokinen, has yet to get a goal and has only one assist in five games. Team captain Jarome Iginla has scored only one goal
so far this season. They'll be happy to have Matt Stajan back as he had three assists against the Oilers after returning from injury to start the season. They'll also get a boost from the return of Rene Bourque who has come back after missing two games with
a concussion. Bourque even scored the overtime winner which won the game against the Predators on Tuesday.
What to expect
The one factor that continues to hurt the Flames is their inconsistent offence and the Red Wings are a team whose goalies don't necessarily need to perform at the top of their game to get a win. A couple
of wins, even one on the road, isn't enough to convince the hockey world that the Flames are contenders. The Red Wings, on the hand, are contenders every year like it's their birthright.
Kiprusoff will be the only thing standing between the Flames and a complete blowout.
Red Wings win 3-1.
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