NHL Game Preview: Calgary Flames (31-36-8) vs. Anaheim Ducks (41-30-5)

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Anaheim Ducks logo

Venue: Honda Center — Anaheim, California
Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET
Broadcast: ESPN+ / Victory+ / CITY / SN1

Recent Team Form

Anaheim Ducks

5‑3‑2 in last 10 games

Averaging 3.5 goals per game, allowing 3.5

High shot volume: 2,283 shots, 10.69% shooting percentage

On a four‑game losing streak, allowing 4+ goals in each

Calgary Flames

5‑4‑1 in last 10 games

Averaging 2.9 goals per game, allowing 3.5

Recently lost 9–2 to Colorado and 6–3 to Vegas

Lowest goal total in NHL: 187 goals (32nd)

Injury Report

Anaheim Ducks

Pavel Mintyukov — day‑to‑day (lower body)

Petr Mrazek — out for season (lower body)

Jansen Harkins — out (upper body)

Cutter Gauthier — day‑to‑day (upper body)

Radko Gudas — day‑to‑day (lower body)

Ross Johnston — out (lower body)

Calgary Flames

Samuel Honzek — out for season (upper body)

Jonathan Huberdeau — out for season (hip)

Jake Bean — out (undisclosed)

Joel Hanley — out for season (upper body)

Projected Lineups

(From NHL.com)

Calgary Flames

Coleman – Backlund – Coronato
Gridin – Frost – Farabee
Pospisi – Strome – Olofsson
Sharangovich – Zary – Klapka

Defense:
Bahl – Whitecloud
Kuznetsov – Parekh
Maatta – Brzustewicz

Goalies: Devin Cooley, Dustin Wolf

Anaheim Ducks

Kreider – Carlsson – Terry
Killorn – Granlund – Sennecke
McTavish – Poehling – Viel
Vatrano – Washe – Moore

Defense:
LaCombe – Trouba
Hinds – Carlson
Zellweger – Helleson

Goalies: Ville Husso, Lukas Dostal

Key Player Matchups

Cutter Gauthier (ANA) vs. Matthew Coronato (CGY)

Gauthier: 38 G, 27 A; day‑to‑day but elite finisher

Coronato: 17 G, 22 A; Flames’ most dynamic scorer

Edge: Ducks — if Gauthier plays, Anaheim’s top‑end scoring is superior.

Mikael Granlund (ANA) vs. Morgan Frost (CGY)

Granlund: 7 G, 1 A in last 10 games

Frost: 5 G, 2 A in last 10 games

Edge: Even — both are producing well recently.

Goaltending: Ville Husso (ANA) vs. Devin Cooley (CGY)

Husso expected to start after Dostal played Friday

Cooley: career .904 SV%, 3.17 GAA, 20 quality starts in 29 games

Edge: Ducks — Husso has stronger defensive support and Anaheim generates more offense.

Series History

Ducks have won four straight meetings, all in overtime.

Last meeting: Anaheim won 3–2 OT, Granlund scored a hat trick.

Betting Trends

Ducks: Over in last 3 games; all had 7+ goals

Flames: Over in last 3 games; all had 9+ goals

Flames have won 9 of last 11 in Anaheim historically (trend)

Game Odds

Calgary Flames                 6.5

Anaheim Ducks                 – 148

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 3, 2026

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NHL Editor
Profile: A seasoned NHL analyst with a comprehensive understanding of the league’s tactical systems, player‑development pipelines, and organizational strategies. This columnist provides in‑depth coverage that blends film study, advanced metrics, and historical context to explain how teams evolve across an 82‑game season and into the postseason. Background: With extensive experience covering professional hockey, the columnist has contributed to national sports outlets, digital platforms, and radio segments focused on roster construction, coaching trends, and league‑wide movement. A background in sports journalism and analytics supports a disciplined approach to evaluating performance, interpreting data, and tracking long‑term competitive cycles across all NHL markets. Signature Coverage Areas: Game previews and matchup analysis Film‑based breakdowns of offensive, defensive, and special‑teams systems Player evaluation, draft analysis, and trade‑deadline coverage Salary‑cap strategy, front‑office trends, and organizational philosophy Historical context, rivalry features, and postseason analysis Style & Approach: The writing emphasizes clarity, accuracy, and accessibility — translating complex systems and statistical models into insights that resonate with both traditional hockey fans and analytically minded readers. Each column reflects a commitment to balanced reporting, thoughtful evaluation, and a deep appreciation for the NHL’s speed, physicality, and evolving style of play.