Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers - October 13, 2024

As a retired coach, I’ve seen my fair share of heated rivalries and fierce matchups in the NHL, but few compare to the clash between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. This Sunday at Rogers Place, we are in for an exciting showdown that promises high stakes and passionate play.

Let’s dive into what we can expect. The Oilers enter this game reeling after a disappointing start to their season, sitting at 0-2-0. Their offensive stats are troubling; they’re averaging no goals per game with a dismal shooting percentage of 0%. It’s hard to win games when you can’t find the back of the net. Moreover, with only two power play chances resulting in zero conversions thus far, their special teams’ performance has been lackluster at best. When I coached, I always emphasized that special teams could be a difference-maker in close contests — right now, it seems like they are leaving opportunities on the table.

Defensively, things aren’t looking great for Edmonton either. With just a 72.5% save rate and an abysmal penalty kill percentage of 16.7%, they are allowing too many chances against them and not stopping enough shots from finding their way into the net. A defense that struggles to contain plays can quickly turn any game into a shootout — which is dangerous against an opponent like Calgary who’s already proven they can score.

On the other side of the ice is a Flames team that comes off a strong victory against Philadelphia with a record of 2-0-0 so far this season. They’ve shown an ability to capitalize on their scoring chances, averaging six goals per game and boasting an impressive shooting percentage of approximately 23%. That’s critical when facing an unsteady Oilers defense; if Calgary can continue taking shots from quality positions as they did last game, expect them to exploit any defensive lapses from Edmonton.

Calgary’s penalty kill (62.5%) shows they’re effective at limiting opponents’ power-play opportunities — although there’s room for improvement compared to their save percentage (87.5%). If they can maintain solid discipline without committing too many penalties themselves while capitalizing on any mistakes made by Edmonton during five-on-five play or man-up scenarios, I’d predict they’ll cover that spread tonight comfortably.

From my experience coaching tightly contested games like this one often come down to momentum swings; if either team gets hot early on — especially early in special teams situations — it could dictate how each team responds throughout the evening.

In terms of predictions: While I believe Edmonton will put forth some fight given it’s crucial for them to avoid falling deeper into adversity within their division rivalry context; ultimately though my gut tells me Calgary will take this one home with covering spreads intact due primarily to superior goal-scoring ability showcased thus far along with sharper defensive execution than their counterparts.

Expect plenty of goals as well; I’m leaning toward seeing totals exceed 6 when all said and done based upon current trends observed! Buckle up folks; it’s going to be quite a matchup!