vs. 
GAMETIME: 8:30 Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN 720 AM
THE OTHER GUYS: Matchsticks and Gasoline
Ah, these guys again. After losing all four regular season meetings last year – with only one of them close – and then getting beaten in the first round, the Flames thought they’d outdo themselves and blow a 5-goal lead in the first meeting in October (the first possible “hockey magic” moment of the year). So clearly, after all that, one would think the Flames are going to be hellbent for leather (whatever that means. Something to do with Judas Priest, I’m guessing) tonight.
Calgary comes in after getting beaten at home by Colorado, who keeps doing that, where they could have taken the lead of the Northwest Division. Calgary has had some trouble scoring, only cracking over 3 goals in a game once this month, and that was beating up on the fat, slow kid that is the Toronto Maple Leafs. But to be fair to them, that loss against Colorado was the first time they’d given up more than two this month. With a backline that boasts Regehr, Phaneuf, Bouwmeester, Sarich, and the suddenly competent Adam Pardy, you can see why.
Huge game for the Hawks, as this road trip looks especially nasty. The Flames are going to pull every assholic trick in the book, this one will be a chippy affair at the S&M Dome (seriously, that Axe ad they run on the side of our blog pisses me off. If you write one of these, no girl’s riding one of you that often. Quit sticking it to me. What that has to do with anything, I have no idea). Versteeg should be back, and we should see Sharp back at center if Bickell is going to play with Daydream Nation, which is an intriguing idea. Should clear some space for those two. And for the love of god have Brouwer with Sharp and Versteeg for the same reason.
Go Hawks.