Flames look to avoid elimation in critical game against Stars
Posted Aug 20, 2020 10:49 am.
Last Updated Aug 20, 2020 10:50 am.
CALGARY – It’s all on the line Thursday as the Calgary Flames look to avoid elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Flames meet the Dallas Stars for Game 6 of their first-round series with Dallas leading three games to two.
The Stars got the upper hand in the series thanks to a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.
John Klingberg and Jamie Benn scored for Dallas while Anton Khudobin stopped 28 shots in net for his second win of the series.
Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane said they need to narrow their field of vision for Game 6.
“I still think we’ve got more than what we’re kind of showing here. I think we’ve just got to go out and play our game and I think we’ll be OK.”
Flames captain Mark Giordano said this has been a tough series so far but is confident the team can come out strong on Thursday.
“Every game has basically been a one-goal game. The only game that wasn’t was when we won 2-0. We’re looking forward to it. Our backs are against the wall and I have confidence in our guys that we’re going to come out with a great effort.”
Interim Head Coach Geoff Ward recognizes the Flames are underdogs in this series but the team relishes that opportunity.
“All the way along, it’s been a game at a time, it’s been a day at a time and that’s not going to change.”
If the Flames are to force a Game 7 it will have to be without forward Matthew Tkachuk who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.
He was sandwiched between Stars Jamie Benn and Jamie Oleksiak late in Game 2 and has not played since.
Puck drop for Game 6 goes at 8:30 p.m. inside the NHL bubble in Edmonton.
You can catch the action live on Sportsnet 960 The Fan.
-With files from Sportsnet and The Canadian Press
