by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, Jan 02, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Where to watch: NBCSCH, SN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Flames -180, Blackhawks +155
BetMGM: Flames -175, Blackhawks +145
Caesars: Flames -189, Blackhawks +160
Season record
Flames: 16-7-6 (3rd place, Pacific Division)
Blackhawks: 11-16-4 (7th place, Central Division)
Scott Rickenbach had a 5-0-0 strong week in the NHL. What lies ahead with the uncertainty of the NHL schedule? Especially in Canada? As long as games are played, you can expect the best here. Catch Scott’s plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Flames - Blackhawks preview and analysis
Recent form
Flames: won 6-4 at Kraken on Dec. 30
Blackhawks: lost 6-1 at Predators on Saturday
The Calgary Flames are back on the ice after a lengthy COVID pause. That was one hell of a game to come back to on Dec. 30, winning a back-and-forth battle against the Seattle Kraken.
The Flames will try for two in a row, and have a good chance of getting to that, when they face the shorthanded Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday with the home team playing the second game of a back-to-back.
Calgary returned from a seven-game break to defeat the Kraken 6-4. The Flames, who were in first place in the Pacific Division before their COVID outbreak that left them with just four healthy players, have found themselves five games fewer in the standings from the first-place Vegas Golden Knights and will have those games made up in February now that the NHL isn't going to the Olympics.
Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau had three points each, with Gaudreau scoring Calgary's first two goals of the game, and Andrew Mangiapane scored another goal on the road -- his 18th of the year -- to pace Calgary's offense. Noah Hanifin also registered a multi-point game from the blue line with a goal and an assist.
It's been so long since Calgary played that we forgot the Flames were actually on a four-game losing streak prior to their pause. The over has cashed in three of their last four games while the Flames have also put up 40 shots a game in three of the last four. Given Chicago's defense this season, and now with inexperience in goal, this should be another game for the Flames to feast in the offensive zone.
Marc-Andre Fleury is in COVID protocol and likely will be out before his return to Vegas this weekend. Collin Delia got the start Saturday in the Blackhawks' 6-1 loss at the Nashville Predators. Dellia allowed three goals on seven shots before he was pulled for Arvid Soderblom; the 22-year-old is expected to make his first NHL start against the Flames.
Philipp Kurashev scored the lone goal for Chicago in its first game since Dec. 18 due to postponements/holiday break. The Blackhawks enter having lost four of five (1-2-2) and have allowed at least five goals three times in the last seven games. The Blackhawks are going to need to play better defense in front of their young goalie in order to have a chance. The Flames' 12 road wins are tied with the New York Rangers for most in the NHL.
The Calgary Flames are back on the ice after a lengthy COVID pause. That was one hell of a game to come back to on Dec. 30, winning a back-and-forth battle against the Seattle Kraken.
The Flames will try for two in a row, and have a good chance of getting to that, when they face the shorthanded Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday with the home team playing the second game of a back-to-back.
Calgary returned from a seven-game break to defeat the Kraken 6-4. The Flames, who were in first place in the Pacific Division before their COVID outbreak that left them with just four healthy players, have found themselves five games fewer in the standings from the first-place Vegas Golden Knights and will have those games made up in February now that the NHL isn't going to the Olympics.
Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau had three points each, with Gaudreau scoring Calgary's first two goals of the game, and Andrew Mangiapane scored another goal on the road -- his 18th of the year -- to pace Calgary's offense. Noah Hanifin also registered a multi-point game from the blue line with a goal and an assist.
It's been so long since Calgary played that we forgot the Flames were actually on a four-game losing streak prior to their pause. The over has cashed in three of their last four games while the Flames have also put up 40 shots a game in three of the last four. Given Chicago's defense this season, and now with inexperience in goal, this should be another game for the Flames to feast in the offensive zone.
Marc-Andre Fleury is in COVID protocol and likely will be out before his return to Vegas this weekend. Collin Delia got the start Saturday in the Blackhawks' 6-1 loss at the Nashville Predators. Dellia allowed three goals on seven shots before he was pulled for Arvid Soderblom; the 22-year-old is expected to make his first NHL start against the Flames.
Philipp Kurashev scored the lone goal for Chicago in its first game since Dec. 18 due to postponements/holiday break. The Blackhawks enter having lost four of five (1-2-2) and have allowed at least five goals three times in the last seven games. The Blackhawks are going to need to play better defense in front of their young goalie in order to have a chance. The Flames' 12 road wins are tied with the New York Rangers for most in the NHL.
Prediction
The home crowd should be a help for Soderblom, but it won't be enough against a (pun intended) red-hot offense. Calgary's depth can be rolled in waves, something the Chicago defense can't match. Flames win 4-2
Betting trends
The Flames are 1-6 in their last seven against the Central Division.
The Flames are 5-1 in their last six as a road favorite.
The over is 5-0 in the Blackhawks' last five as an underdog.
The Flames have won four in a row in Chicago.
Projected lines
Flames:
Johnny Gaudreau -- Elias Lindholm - Matthew Tkachuk
Milan Lucic -- Mikael Backlund -- Blake Coleman
Andrew Mangiapane -- Dillon Dube - Tyler Pitlick
Brad Richardson -- Sean Monahan -- Trevor Lewis
Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson
Oliver Kylington -- Christopher Tanev
Nikita Zadorov -- Erik Gudbranson
Jacob Markstrom
Johnny Gaudreau -- Elias Lindholm - Matthew Tkachuk
Milan Lucic -- Mikael Backlund -- Blake Coleman
Andrew Mangiapane -- Dillon Dube - Tyler Pitlick
Brad Richardson -- Sean Monahan -- Trevor Lewis
Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson
Oliver Kylington -- Christopher Tanev
Nikita Zadorov -- Erik Gudbranson
Jacob Markstrom
Blackhawks:
Alex DeBrincat -- Henrik Borgstrom -- Patrick Kane
Brandon Hagel -- Jonathan Toews -- Dylan Strome
Dominik Kubalik -- Kirby Dach -- Philipp Kurashev
Ryan Carpenter -- MacKenzie Entwistle -- Jujhar Khaira
Riley Stillman -- Seth Jones
Jake McCabe -- Connor Murphy
Calvin de Haan -- Caleb Jones
Arvid Soderblom
Alex DeBrincat -- Henrik Borgstrom -- Patrick Kane
Brandon Hagel -- Jonathan Toews -- Dylan Strome
Dominik Kubalik -- Kirby Dach -- Philipp Kurashev
Ryan Carpenter -- MacKenzie Entwistle -- Jujhar Khaira
Riley Stillman -- Seth Jones
Jake McCabe -- Connor Murphy
Calvin de Haan -- Caleb Jones
Arvid Soderblom
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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.
