Detroit Red Wings connect in 3rd in 2-1 win over Calgary Flames: Game thread recap
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Detroit Red Wings (21-20-8) vs. Calgary Flames (24-17-10)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates).
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Game notes: The Flames were part of the offseason’s biggest trade, shipping star forward Matthew Tkachuk to Florida in return for veteran center Jonathan Huberdeau, veteran defenseman MacKenzie Weegar — Tkachuk’s equal in onomatopoeia, if not in scoring — and prospect Cole Schwindt (which is also fun to say). How’s it working out?
The Flames are sitting just outside of a playoff position, tied with the Colorado Avalanche at 58 points, but with three fewer wins in two more games played. Huberdeau and Weegar, meanwhile, haven’t quite performed as they did in 2021-22: Huberdeau, who had 30 goals and 85 assists, is on pace for 17 and 40, while Weegar — loved the “Green Album,” not so much the newer stuff — has gone from eight goals and 36 assists to one and 14, respectively, this season. Add in that Tkachuk won the All-Star MVP this past weekend and perhaps the Flames have a bit of trader’s remorse.
Then again, the money saved in not ponying up for Tkachuk’s $76 million extension was funneled into a deal for free agent Nazem Kadri, coming off a star heel turn during the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup run last spring. The 32-year-old is tied for the team lead in goals (19) and third in assists (24), though his minus-10 plus/minus is probably driving defensive-minded coach Darryl Sutter nuts.
Also likely raising Sutter’s blood pressure: The inconsistent play from goalie Jacob Markstrom, the team’s big-money pickup ahead of the 2020-21 season. In his third season in Calgary, Markstrom is allowing a .2.93 goals-against average and stopping just 89.2% of the shots he’s facing, which is, uh, not good. And so 2015 third-round pick Daniel Vladar has been splitting time in net, with a .904 save percentage and 2.77 GAA — not exactly Vezina-quality numbers but enough to stop the bleeding. Markstrom got the nod in the Flames’ first game out of the All-Star break and gave up five goals in an overtime loss, so who knows who’ll start tonight at LCA.
The Wings, meanwhile, are led by Moritz Seider’s five points (all assists) over their past five games, including three assists in a Jan. 26 win over Montreal. Michael Rasmussen has been the top goal scorer over that span, with two tallies before the All-Star break.
After tonight, the Wings close out their homestand with a noon Saturday visit from the Vancouver Canucks — that’s 9 a.m. Pacific time, so, sorry ’Nucks fans — before returning the Western Canada favor with a four-game trip next week to Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and … OK, Seattle isn’t Canadian, but close enough, right? The Flames, meanwhile, continue their Eastern swing with visits to Buffao (Saturday) and Ottawa (Monday) before meeting the Wings at the Saddledome on Feb. 16.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings beat Calgary Flames, 2-1: Game thread recap
