Saturday night of Scotiabank’s Hockey Day in Canada 2025 in the NHL features an all-Canadian matchup with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Calgary Flames at Canada Life Centre. Welcome to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Hockey, where we preview and predict the upcoming slate of NHL games around the league each day! In this article, we will preview and predict the matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames. Be sure to check out all of our NHL Predictions throughout the 2024-25 season and follow along with your favourite teams.
NHL Predictions
Winnipeg Jets vs Calgary Flames
Head-to-Head: Jets 1-0 Flames
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: CITY, SNW
As we mentioned, Saturday is Hockey Day in Canada and what better way to celebrate than have the nation’s NHL clubs go head-to-head with one another. Winnipeg and Calgary will be meeting for the second time this season with the Jets taking their first meeting 5-3 on October 26th back in Calgary. In that game, Cole Perfetti broke a 3-3 tie with under four minutes left in the third period, scoring the game-winning power play goal. Nikolaj Ehlers scored a power play goal as well, and Kyle Connor added a shorthanded tally, to go along with an assist. Mikael Backlund, Rasmus Andersson, and Nazem Kadri had the goals for the Flames.
This has been an even matchup, with Winnipeg holding a 5-5-0 record in their last ten games versus Calgary. The Jets have won their last two meetings with the Flames, and have scored six power play goals head to head against them over their last three outings.
Winnipeg Jets Buckling Down Defensively
Over their last five games played, Winnipeg has been suffocating opposing teams at five-on-five play. Holding a 4-0-1 record over that stretch, the Jets have allowed just four goals at five-on-five, good for third in the NHL. As well, their save percentage over that time sits third in NHL. A reason for these numbers is their suppression of shots and chances against at five-on-five. The team is seventh in shots against and fourth in scoring chances against in their last five games. Keeping shots and plays away from the dangerous areas of the ice bodes well for your goaltender, and when your goalie is Connor Hellebuyck it bodes extremely well.
An unsung hero in this stretch is defenceman Dylan Samberg. He has been on the ice for just 19 scoring chances against at five-on-five over this time, ranking himself sixth among NHL defenceman (whom have played at least 50 minutes).
Calgary Flames on Playoff Bubble
The Calgary Flames will be battling it out down till the bitter end for one of the two Wild Card spots in the Western Conference. Entering Saturday, they held down that last spot, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks. Losing back-to-back games in St. Louis, another team that they are competing with for a playoff spot, was a tough blow for them to take. However, given the fact expectations were slightly tempered for this group entering the season, it is a plus already that they sit where they are in the standings.
This next stretch of games will be tough for the Flames. Their upcoming schedule includes two games against Winnipeg, as well as games against Minnesota and Washington. Calgary will need to find ways to get points against such difficult competition.
NHL Predictions for the Jets and Flames
This should be a highly entertaining battle between two well-structured teams. Though, there are a few areas where Winnipeg can exploit in this matchup. Firstly, beyond Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri (and perhaps Matthew Coronato), there isn’t consistently any offensive threat from the Flames lineup. Expect the Jets to key in on these offensive catalysts for Calgary and limit their impact on the scoresheet. Also, Calgary boasts a young, inexperienced defense corps. The size, speed and experience of Winnipeg, especially up front, will give issues to this group of Flames. It will be a close game, but these key areas will be vital in a Jets victory.
Prediction: Jets win 4-2
Prop Bet of the Night
In Winnipeg’s last game, it was Dylan DeMelo playing hero in the last minute. This time out, look for another blue-liner to make an impact: Neal Pionk. Pionk has been logging huge minutes (averaging almost 23:00 minutes per game in January) and has already found the net six times this season. Gambling sites have Pionk at +700 as an anytime goal scorer in this game. In the first meeting against the Flames this year he recorded two assists; look for him to find the back of the net in this one.
Main Photo Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
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