Friday's Calgary Flames game is starting at an unusual time
Due to American Thanksgiving, the Calgary Flames will be in action much earlier tomorrow than fans are accustomed to.
The Flames are one of several NHL teams that will play tomorrow afternoon, with their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets set to get underway at 1 pm MT. It’s not an ideal time for their fan base, many of whom won’t be getting off work until the game has already wrapped up.
The Flames will be one of two Canadian teams with an unusual start time tomorrow, as the Canucks will also get underway versus the Buffalo Sabres at 1 pm MT.
If there is any way fans can get out of work, this Flames team is certainly worth doing it for. Though they fell last night to the Detroit Red Wings, they were able to pick up a single point, giving them 28 through just 23 games. The impressive 12-7-4 start has them sitting in second place in the Pacific Division.
A big reason for their hot start has been the play of Dustin Wolf, who is expected to start tomorrow. The 23-year-old, who is considered by many to be the early frontrunner for the Calder Trophy, has a rock-solid 2.47 goals against average (GAA) along with a .921 save percentage (SV%) and an 8-3-1 record.
While a 9-9-3 Blue Jackets team suggests the Flames should be in line for a win, it may not be as easy an outing as fans would expect. Despite the Blue Jackets’ overall struggles, they’ve been quite good at home, going 7-3-1 thus far in their 11 opportunities.
This game could be an emotional one, as it marks the first time the Flames have played the Blue Jackets since the tragic passing of Johnny Gaudreau. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday at the Saddledome, a game in which the Flames will fly several members of the Gaudreau family to Calgary, including Johnny’s parents, Guy and Jane.