{"id":549218,"date":"2026-04-10T03:19:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T03:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549218\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T03:19:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T03:19:22","slug":"flames-vs-avalanche-prediction-lineups-last-games-injury-report-best-picks-where-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549218\/","title":{"rendered":"Flames vs Avalanche prediction: Lineups, Last Games, Injury Report &#038; Best Picks, Where to Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Calgary Flames travel to Ball Arena to face the Colorado Avalanche on April 9, 2026 in a Western Conference NHL matchup. Colorado enter the game as one of the strongest teams in the league this season and continue to push toward the top playoff seed, while Calgary are trying to stay competitive despite an inconsistent campaign. Both teams have dealt with roster changes and injuries in recent weeks, which could influence the pace of this matchup. Colorado\u2019s aggressive offensive style meets a Calgary side that has recently focused more on defensive play.<\/p>\n<p>Match Information<\/p>\n<p>MatchCalgary Flames vs Colorado AvalancheDateApril 9, 2026Time9:00 PM ETVenueBall Arena, DenverBroadcastSNW, ALTCompetitionNHL Regular Season<\/p>\n<p>Team Overview and Season Form<\/p>\n<p>TeamRecordPositionGoal DifferenceColorado Avalanche51-16-10Top of Western Conference290-197Calgary Flames32-36-9Lower half of conference202-247<\/p>\n<p>Colorado have been dominant throughout the season and continue to produce strong offensive numbers, while Calgary have struggled defensively but still manage to generate scoring opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Avalanche Preview<\/p>\n<p>The Avalanche have been one of the most exciting teams in the league this season. Colorado sit at the top of the Western Conference standings and continue to play a fast, attacking style that creates constant pressure on opposing defenses.<\/p>\n<p>In their latest game, Colorado defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-1, showing strong defensive structure and efficient scoring. Prior to that, they shut out the Dallas Stars 2-0 in another impressive performance.<\/p>\n<p>Nathan MacKinnon continues to lead the team offensively and remains one of the league\u2019s most dangerous players. Martin Necas and Sam Malinski have also contributed important points recently.<\/p>\n<p>Even when Colorado lose games, they still create many scoring chances because of their high-paced offensive system.<\/p>\n<p>Avalanche Recent Games<\/p>\n<p>DateOpponentResultApr 8St. Louis BluesWin 3-1Apr 6St. Louis BluesLoss 2-3Apr 5Dallas StarsWin 2-0Apr 2Vancouver CanucksLoss 6-8Mar 31Calgary FlamesWin 9-2<\/p>\n<p>The 9-2 victory over Calgary earlier in the season shows how dangerous Colorado can be when their offense clicks.<\/p>\n<p>Calgary Flames Preview<\/p>\n<p>The Flames have experienced an inconsistent season and currently sit outside the playoff race in the Western Conference standings. Calgary have struggled defensively, allowing a high number of goals during the year.<\/p>\n<p>Their most recent game was a narrow 4-3 overtime loss against the Dallas Stars. Despite the defeat, Calgary showed offensive potential and remained competitive throughout the match.<\/p>\n<p>The Flames rely on several forwards to create scoring opportunities. Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have contributed recently, while Ryan Strome provides leadership in the middle of the lineup.<\/p>\n<p>Calgary\u2019s challenge has been stopping opponents in their own zone, particularly against fast teams like Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Flames Recent Games<\/p>\n<p>DateOpponentResultApr 8Dallas StarsLoss 3-4 (OT)Apr 5Anaheim DucksWin 5-3Apr 3Vegas Golden KnightsLoss 3-6Mar 31Colorado AvalancheLoss 2-9Mar 29Vancouver CanucksWin 7-3<\/p>\n<p>These results show that Calgary games often produce several goals, particularly against strong attacking teams.<\/p>\n<p>Head-to-Head Record<\/p>\n<p>DateMatchResultMar 31, 2026Avalanche vs FlamesAvalanche won 9-2Mar 15, 2025Flames vs AvalancheAvalanche won 4-2Feb 7, 2025Flames vs AvalancheAvalanche won 4-2<\/p>\n<p>Colorado have dominated recent meetings between the two teams.<\/p>\n<p>Also see: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportpreferred.com\/nhl\/minnesota-wild-vs-dallas-stars-prediction-lineups-last-games-injury-report-best-picks-where-to-watch-nhl-april-9-2026\/12353\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars prediction: Lineups, Last Games, Injury Report &amp; Best Picks, Where to Watch \u2013 NHL April 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Projected Lineups<\/p>\n<p>Calgary Flames<\/p>\n<p>PositionPlayersLine 1Yegor Sharangovich \u2013 Mikael Backlund \u2013 Matt CoronatoLine 2Joel Farabee \u2013 Morgan Frost \u2013 Matvei GridinLine 3Connor Zary \u2013 Ryan Strome \u2013 Aydar SunievLine 4Victor Olofsson \u2013 John Beecher \u2013 Adam KlapkaDefenseYan Kuznetsov \u2013 Zach WhitecloudDefenseOlli Maatta \u2013 Hunter BrzustewiczDefenseBrayden Pachal \u2013 Zayne ParekhGoaliesDustin Wolf \/ Devin Cooley<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Avalanche<\/p>\n<p>PositionPlayersLine 1Artturi Lehkonen \u2013 Nathan MacKinnon \u2013 Martin NecasLine 2Gabriel Landeskog \u2013 Brock Nelson \u2013 Valeri NichushkinLine 3Ross Colton \u2013 Nicolas Roy \u2013 Logan O\u2019ConnorLine 4Parker Kelly \u2013 Jack Drury \u2013 Joel KivirantaDefenseDevon Toews \u2013 Sam MalinskiDefenseBrett Kulak \u2013 Josh MansonDefenseNick Blankenburg \u2013 Brent BurnsGoaliesMackenzie Blackwood \/ Scott Wedgewood<\/p>\n<p>Key Players to Watch<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Avalanche<\/p>\n<p>PlayerRoleNathan MacKinnonOffensive leaderMartin NecasConsistent playmakerSam MalinskiOffensive defenseman<\/p>\n<p>MacKinnon continues to drive Colorado\u2019s offense and creates chances almost every shift.<\/p>\n<p>Calgary Flames<\/p>\n<p>PlayerRoleMorgan FrostRecent scoring formRyan StromeExperienced centerJoel FarabeeKey attacking forward<\/p>\n<p>Calgary will need these players to produce if they want to challenge Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Goaltending Matchup<\/p>\n<p>TeamGoalieNotesAvalancheMackenzie BlackwoodReliable starterFlamesDustin WolfTalented but inconsistent<\/p>\n<p>Colorado hold a slight advantage in net thanks to stronger defensive support.<\/p>\n<p>Injury Report<\/p>\n<p>TeamPlayerStatusAvalancheCale MakarOutAvalancheNazem KadriOutFlamesJonathan HuberdeauOutFlamesJake BeanOutFlamesKevin BahlOut<\/p>\n<p>Both teams have key injuries, though Colorado still maintain stronger depth.<\/p>\n<p>Best Betting Picks<\/p>\n<p>PickReasonUnder 6.5 GoalsRecent games trending lower scoringAvalanche MoneylineStrong home teamNathan MacKinnon Anytime PointConsistent offensive production<\/p>\n<p>Given the injuries affecting both offenses, the game may produce fewer goals than expected.<\/p>\n<p>Flames vs Avalanche Match Prediction<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Avalanche remain one of the league\u2019s strongest teams and continue to play aggressive hockey. Their speed and puck movement could cause problems for Calgary\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n<p>The Flames are capable of scoring, but they will likely need a strong defensive performance to stay close in the game.<\/p>\n<p>If Colorado control the pace early, they should have the advantage.<\/p>\n<p>Predicted Score<\/p>\n<p>TeamPredicted GoalsColorado Avalanche3Calgary Flames2<\/p>\n<p>The Avalanche are expected to secure a home win in a competitive matchup.<\/p>\n<p>How to Watch Flames vs Avalanche<\/p>\n<p>PlatformDetailsTV ChannelSNW, ALTVenueBall Arena, DenverStart Time9:00 PM ET<\/p>\n<p>Fans can watch the game live as Colorado continue their strong push toward the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p>FAQs<\/p>\n<p>When is the Flames vs Avalanche game?<\/p>\n<p>The game will be played on April 9, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Where is the match taking place?<\/p>\n<p>The game will be held at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Which team is favored to win?<\/p>\n<p>Colorado Avalanche are the clear favorites based on their season performance.<\/p>\n<p>Who are the key players to watch?<\/p>\n<p>Nathan MacKinnon leads Colorado\u2019s attack, while Morgan Frost and Ryan Strome are important players for Calgary.<\/p>\n<p>What is the predicted score?<\/p>\n<p>The prediction suggests a close 3-2 win for the Colorado Avalanche.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Calgary Flames travel to Ball Arena to face the Colorado Avalanche on April 9, 2026 in a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":549219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5124],"tags":[895,26,5294,896,5,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-549218","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-calgary-flames","8":"tag-calgary","9":"tag-calgary-flames","10":"tag-calgaryflames","11":"tag-flames","12":"tag-hockey","13":"tag-nhl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116378256486780552","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=549218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/549219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=549218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=549218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=549218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}