1. Back In Black
Plainly put, it’s good to be home.
And after turning out the lights for a night of rest – following a long travel day home from Nashville Wednesday – the Flames are ready to go into Dark Mode.
That’s right, tonight’s contest against the Wild will mark Blasty’s 2025-26 debut, on a night the Flames salute our military on Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night. GET TICKETS
But if it feels like the team hasn’t spent a lot of time at the Scotiabank Saddledome, it’s true.
Calgary’s 10 home games played this season are the fewest in the NHL, while their 18 road games contested are a league-high.
But that’s all about to change. After playing the last eight games in eight different cities, the Flames get a nice run of four home fixtures beginning tonight against the Wild, in a game that offers another challenge, as well as the chance to play in front of a partisan crowd for only the second time in the last 19 days.
The recent road swing netted five points – as well as a whack of kilometres in the sky – and after an inauspicious end to the trip in the Music City Tuesday night, the focus is on making these home games count.
“(We have to) mentally prepare for Minnesota on Thursday,” captain Mikael Backlund offered following Tuesday’s 5-1 loss. “Have a good homestand, and go from there.”
Even though it’s been awhile, the home fires have burned brightly for the Flames in recent outings at the ‘Dome. Calgary has collected points in six of their last seven home games, collecting seven of a possible 10 points inside the friendly confines last month.
Take advantage of home-ice advantage, so to speak.
And that’s exactly how Head Coach Ryan Huska would like to see his group bounce back tonight.
“It’s something we have to do a good job of, is take care of the time we get to spend at home, here, over the next little while,” he said Tuesday evening.
“Turn the page, and make sure we’re much better against Minnesota.”