Wolf has been Calgary\u2019s primary goalie, but lately there\u2019s been more of an even split due to Cooley playing really well lately (including, as mentioned, in Calgary\u2019s recent win over the Pens). The two Flames goalies have each played three out of the last six games, Cooley did play their last game. He picked up the loss in OT, but stopped 29\/31 shots to get there. Given how well he did against Pittsburgh in the recent past, it\u2019ll be interesting to see if the Flames go back to Cooley for this game or turn the net back over to their usual starter in Wolf, who is only 1-5-0 with a .891 save% and 3.71 GAA in the calendar year of 2026 (compared to Cooley\u2019s 2-0-1 record, .951 save% and 1.33 GAA stat line).<\/p>\n
Season stats The size and ruggedness of the Flames really stood out in their last game against the Pens. Klapka at 6\u20198\u201d and 235 pounds is a menace and was getting under the skin of several Penguin players. Klapka\u2019s 172 hits this season ranks 4th in the entire NHL, he\u2019s going to throw the body on the forecheck on every available opportunity. Kevin Bahl at 6\u20196\u201d, 230 has been a force averaging over 21 minutes per game this season, and has four assists in his last six games. Yan Kuznetsov presents another big body on the blueline, Pachal laid one of the biggest hits of the season last game. Mackenzie Weegar isn\u2019t a huge frame, but a stout one with 117 hits this season. That game had a lot of tempers raised with post-whistle scrums and physicality throughout, surely that fresh memory will be at the top of everyone\u2019s minds for tonight.<\/p>\n Generating offense has been a real struggle for the Flames. Their 2.55 goals\/game mark is only 29th in the NHL, their power play at 14.9% is a dreadful 31st. It\u2019s not for a lack of trying (28.9 shots\/game ranks 12th) but the lack of skill and overall ability has hindered them in a major way.<\/p>\n Key to the game: Penguins vs. goalie<\/p>\n This one is pretty cut and dry; while the Flames have been impotent offensively and don\u2019t have a lot going for them these days, the one area they are getting great inputs from is the play of their goalies. Early in the season that was Wolf, lately it\u2019s been Cooley as the hot hand.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Pens ran up a 2.75 expected goal<\/a> total against Calgary on January 10th, yet Cooley only gave up one actual goal and the Flames won a 2-1 game almost entirely due to the strong play of their goalie. The Flames low overall talent level gives them a very narrow path towards winning games, they\u2019re going to need a goalie to steal it for them more often than not. That presents a clear challenge for Pittsburgh in this game: overcome the Flames\u2019 strongest suit in the goalie factor (whether it ends up being Cooley or Wolf) and the rest ought to be right there for the taking. A performance for the Pens similar to the last game against Seattle (where Pittsburgh scored 5 non-empty net goals on 2.88 expected) would be the ideal in this game, as it would in just about any game. Given Calgary\u2019s unimpressive defensive metrics, that should be on the table, though Pittsburgh (at 9th in expected 5v5 goals and just 21st in 5v5 actual goals) will need to execute on their chances in ways they didn\u2019t in the last meeting.<\/p>\n And now for the Pens Projected lines\u00a0<\/p>\n FORWARDS<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Rickard Rakell \u2013 Sidney Crosby \u2013 Bryan Rust<\/p>\n Egor Chinakhov\u00a0 \u2013 Tommy Novak \u2013 Evgeni Malkin<\/p>\n Anthony Mantha \u2013 Ben Kindel \u2013 Justin Brazeau<\/p>\n Connor Dewar \u2013 Blake Lizotte \u2013 Noel Acciari<\/p>\n DEFENSEMEN<\/p>\n Brett Kulak \/ Kris Letang?<\/p>\n Parker Wotherspoon \/ Ryan Shea<\/p>\n Ryan Graves \/ Connor Clifton<\/p>\n Goalies:\u00a0 Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs<\/p>\n Potential Scratches: Jack St. Ivany, Kevin Hayes, Ilya Solovyov<\/p>\n IR:\u00a0Erik Karlsson, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones<\/p>\n All eyes will be on Letang after he missed practice yesterday and was deemed day-to-day with an upper body injury by the team<\/a>. Letang\u2019s potential absence or lack of being 100% is a huge blow for an already depleted blueline that doesn\u2019t have Erik Karlsson.<\/p>\n
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