by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Mar 10, 2023
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Where to watch: TVAS, SNW, BSSC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Flames -350, Ducks +290
BetMGM: Flames -375, Ducks +290
Caesars: Flames -370, Ducks +290
Season record
Ducks: 21-35-9
Flames: 29-23-13
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Ducks - Flames preview, prediction and analysis
In a battle where this sets up beautifully for the home team, the Calgary Flames will try to win a third straight game and continue on with a last-ditch playoff push when they host the lowly Anaheim Ducks on Friday at the Saddledome.
The Flames have won two straight after losing five in a row, but the wins were rather impressive: a last-second win against the Dallas Stars, and then a 1-0 shootout victory in which Jacob Markstrom looked like his old self in that one. Markstrom made 40 saves in his best performance of the season, outdueling Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson, and getting the win.
"I thought our guys did a great job of making sure that I saw most of the pucks," Markstrom said. "A lot of sharp blocks. … It's the second game of a back to back, and we need to string games together. Nice to get one of these."
It’s been a disappointing season for the Flames, who salvaged their season after losing Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk in the offseason. But it’s been an off year for Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. So much so that no one is able to score against Minnesota. That’s been the norm with Calgary this year, especially in the last six games where the under has gone 4-2.
Calgary does return home so at least there’s some positivity on that front. But every game matters for the Flames now that they’re four points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card spot. It would appear that no one is catching the Edmonton Oilers for their surge.
Which is why it should be easy pickings for the Flames against a Ducks team that has been all but bad all season long and are now entrenched in the chase for Connor Bedard. Getting him and Trevor Zegras on the same line seems like a pipe dream and a half. So does getting a new coach, too, but Dallas Eakins can hang around for a couple more games, I suppose.
The Ducks are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks in a game that featured more suck than it could’ve ever imagined. Troy Terry and Brock McGinn scored for the Ducks, but one more puck got by Lukas Dostal despite his 31 saves.
"We played a [heck] of a game," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "This league, it's always hard to win that second game on a back to back, but we played a really good four-line game. Our goaltending was good and we put ourselves in a spot to at least get a point."
The Ducks, overall, have looked good as of late with four wins in seven games, with some of those wins coming against Carolina and Washington in succession. But trying to figure out if they’re ever going to have anything sustainable going forward is anyone’s guess.
Prediction
This is perfect pickings for the Flames. They need this win, and the Ducks are just here. They need to win this game or so help the contingent that wants Darryl Sutter fired. Flames 3, Ducks 2
Projected lines
Ducks:
Max Jones -- Mason McTavish -- Troy Terry
Ryan Strome - Trevor Zegras -- Brock McGinn
Frank Vatrano -- Isac Lundestrom -- Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois -- Derek Grant -- Sam Carrick
Cam Fowler -- Scott Harrington
Simon Benoit -- Kevin Shattenkirk
Colton White -- Nathan Beaulieu
Lukas Dostal
John Gibson
Max Jones -- Mason McTavish -- Troy Terry
Ryan Strome - Trevor Zegras -- Brock McGinn
Frank Vatrano -- Isac Lundestrom -- Jakob Silfverberg
Max Comtois -- Derek Grant -- Sam Carrick
Cam Fowler -- Scott Harrington
Simon Benoit -- Kevin Shattenkirk
Colton White -- Nathan Beaulieu
Lukas Dostal
John Gibson
Flames:
Jakob Pelletier -- Elias Lindholm -- Tyler Toffoli
Nick Ritchie -- Nazem Kadri -- Jonathan Huberdeau
Andrew Mangiapane -- Mikael Backlund -- Blake Coleman
Milan Lucic -- Dillon Dube -- Trevor Lewis
MacKenzie Weegar -- Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin -- Chris Tanev
Nikita Zadorov -- Troy Stecher
Dan Vladar
Jakob Pelletier -- Elias Lindholm -- Tyler Toffoli
Nick Ritchie -- Nazem Kadri -- Jonathan Huberdeau
Andrew Mangiapane -- Mikael Backlund -- Blake Coleman
Milan Lucic -- Dillon Dube -- Trevor Lewis
MacKenzie Weegar -- Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin -- Chris Tanev
Nikita Zadorov -- Troy Stecher
Dan Vladar
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this preview, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NHL projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
