Flames' Zary will be out of the lineup tonight versus the Predators

The Calgary Flames will be without Connor Zary tonight as they look to pick up at least a point for the fifth straight game.

Zary, who played limited minutes in Monday’s win over the Seattle Kraken, is day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment which will hold him out of the lineup tonight. It is a notable absence for the Flames, as the 22-year-old has been spectacular since being called up from the AHL, scoring three goals and eight points in nine games thus far.

With Zary out, Adam Ruzicka will draw back into the lineup after sitting out versus the Kraken. After starting the season out with four points through his first four games, Ruzicka has failed to record a point in his last nine.

As for the lines tonight, Elias Lindholm is expected to have Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich as his wingers, while Mikael Backlund will centre Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman. Nazem Kadri will continue to have Martin Pospisil on his right side, while Dillon Dube will play on the left. Ruzicka is expected to centre the fourth line with A.J. Greer and Walker Duehr on his wings.

Flames lines at morning skate

Mangiapane – Lindholm – Sharangovich
Huberdeau – Backlund – Coleman
Dube – Kadri – Pospisil
Greer – Ruzicka – Duehr

Looks like Zary, who played very little in the third period Monday, may be the odd man out.

— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) November 22, 2023

The only change for the Flames on the back end tonight is that Dennis Gilbert is expected to draw back into the lineup in place of Nick DeSimone. It will mark the first game for Gilbert since November 1st against the Dallas Stars, as he has been a healthy scratch for the past eight outings.

In net, the Flames will turn back to Jacob Markstrom after going with Dan Vladar versus the Kraken. Markstrom wasn’t at his best in a 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday but has been playing much better hockey as of late, picking up at least a point in each of his past four starts.

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