Blackhawks vs. Flames NHL Odds, Pick, Preview (November 23)

Blackhawks vs. Flames Odds

The Calgary Flames host the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Southern Alberta. Both teams are coming in riding high and looking to build off their successes.

Chicago fired head coach Jeremy Colliton on November 6th and hired Dave King as their interim head coach. Since then, the Blackhawks have won five out of their last six games, and seem to be turning a completely new leaf after a horrendous start to the season.

The Flames are also red-hot, currently standing at the top of the Western Conference. After defeating the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Flames have won four out of their last five and are currently on a three-game winning streak. Calgary will look to continue its winning ways and hold onto the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division.

Blackhawks Hit The Reset Button

To say that this season has been rough on the Blackhawks would be putting it nicely. From the sexual abuse scandal to the dreadful 1-9-2 start, to firing their coach, it’s safe to say this team needed a refresh. Now that they’ve started anew, it’s back to business for the Hawks.

Superstar Patrick Kane leads the team in scoring with 18 points and Alex Debrincat leads in goals with 11. Big-time signing Seth Jones is also proving his worth as a stalwart on the blueline, and chipping in offensively.

Throughout the season, the Blackhawks have been in the bottom of nearly all offensive statistics. While they have gotten better, they still stand near the bottom. They still are one of the worst teams in the league at driving play with a 1.61 expected goals per 60 minutes, and have created only 121 high danger chances all season. So while things are on the upswing, they still have a lot of work to do.

When Chicago traded for former Vezina Trophy-winner Marc-Andre Fleury, it was expected that goaltending wasn’t going to be an issue for them. However, no matter what Fleury did, this team was going to struggle. His stats may not read it, but Fleury has held his own and done the best he could do. The man they call “Flower” currently stands with a .911 SV% and a -3.8 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx).

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Flames Have Been Among The Best

The Flames have continuously been one of the best teams in the NHL this season, and it’s giving fans in Alberta a reason to be excited. As the owner of the best record in the West, Calgary is getting production from all around. Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm are scoring at a point-per-game basis, and Andrew Mangiapane is lighting the league on fire with 15 goals.

Amid all of their top notch production, the Flames are one of the best teams at generating scoring chances and driving play. They’re currently a top-10 team in expected goals per 60 minutes with a 2.76 xGF, and have managed to generate 156 high danger chances, which is about middle of the road. Regardless, the Flames are a dangerous team for any opposing team, and with the talent up front, it’s bound to cause a number of headaches.

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been a stonewall. In his second year with Calgary, Markstrom has let it be known that last year, where he struggled, was merely an aberration. He currently posts a .942 SV% as well as an 11.9 GSAx which is among the best in the league. His backup, Dan Vladar, has been incredible as well, but since he played their most recent game, I see Markstrom getting the nod.

Blackhawks vs. Flames Pick

Both teams are coming in hot and I think we’re going to have a great game in the Saddledome.

As good as the Blackhawks have been recently, it’s hard to envision them overtaking a roster that has so much depth like Calgary. I can see the Blackhawks continuing their solid play through this stretch, but for this game in front of a sold out Calgary crowd, I’m backing the Flames.

Pick: Calgary Flames at -150 or better.