Off a moderately disappointing road trip, the Calgary Flames open a four-game homestand Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Calgary is -135 on the NHL odds.

Avalanche vs. Flames NHL Betting Odds

Wednesday is the second of three regular-season meetings between the teams, with Calgary making its lone visit to Denver on Feb. 25.

The Flames opened their season at home on Oct. 13 by beating Colorado 5-3. After the Avs took a 1-0 lead at 1:39 of the first, the Flames scored the next five spread over all three periods. Dillon Dube had a short-handed goal, and Tyler Toffoli and Elias Lindholm found the net with the man advantage. Calgary had been 0-10-2 in its past 12 openers. Jacob Markstrom had 22 saves in the win, and Pavel Francouz 22 in the loss.

It was the second of a back-to-back for Colorado, which seemed a bit flat off raising the 2022 Stanley Cup banner the night before against Chicago.

“For sure the energy level wasn’t where it needed to be,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said then.

The Avalanche are still 8-3 in the past 11 meetings. The under is 4-1-1 in the past six in Calgary.

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado has disappointed at 22-17-3 perhaps with a Stanley Cup hangover but perhaps has flipped a switch with a combined 13 goals scored in back-to-back home wins over Ottawa and Detroit. Nathan MacKinnon, who has missed time this season due to injury, had two goals and two assists last time out vs. the Wings, and reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar had two goals and a helper. It was MacKinnon’s third straight multi-point performance and fifth in eight games since returning from an upper-body injury.

Valeri Nichushkin returned to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 23 off injury and had an assist. Pavel Francouz stopped 26 of the 29 shots as he made his third straight start. He has perhaps supplanted Alexandar Georgiev as the No. 1. Defender Josh Manson hasn’t played since Dec. 1 due to a lower-body injury but is on the trip so in theory might return for this one.

Calgary Flames

Calgary finished a five-game trip at 2-3 following a 2-1 loss in Nashville on Monday. The Preds scored both goals in the first period, while Calgary’s Nikita Zadorov’s seventh goal of the season (already tying his career high) at 18:07 of the second cut the deficit to one, but the Flames couldn’t solve Juuse Saros again despite a 5-on-3 power play in the third. Tyler Toffoli appeared to tie the game, but a review confirmed the puck was kicked in. Jacob Markstrom was a tough-luck loser in allowing two goals on 29 shots to fall to 13-11-5 with a 2.81 GAA and an .894 save percentage.

“It was a pathetic effort by us,” Zadorov said. “First two periods, for sure. We were a step behind. Energy wasn’t there, commitment wasn’t there, we weren’t shooting, we were making bad plays, giving up too many chances. Just all-around, bad effort for us.”

Calgary is 5-2 in its past seven after scoring two goals or fewer in its previous game.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Avalanche vs. Flames?

• Regular Season

Avalanche Team Leaders

COL

Points	Nathan MacKinnon 90
+ / -	Devon Toews 30
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 306
Penalty Mins	Mikko Rantanen 62
Wins	Alexandar Georgiev 32
GAA	Keith Kinkaid 2.15

CAL

Points	Tyler Toffoli 65
+ / -	Mikael Backlund 18
Shots	Nazem Kadri 240
Penalty Mins	Nikita Zadorov 78
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 19
GAA	Dan Vladar 2.91

• Regular Season

Flames Team Leaders

COL

Points	Nathan MacKinnon 90
+ / -	Devon Toews 30
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 306
Penalty Mins	Mikko Rantanen 62
Wins	Alexandar Georgiev 32
GAA	Keith Kinkaid 2.15

CAL

Points	Tyler Toffoli 65
+ / -	Mikael Backlund 18
Shots	Nazem Kadri 240
Penalty Mins	Nikita Zadorov 78
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 19
GAA	Dan Vladar 2.91

Injuries

Colorado

Evan Rodrigues (C)

Out indefinitely Concussion - 21 / 03 / 23

Artturi Lehkonen (LW)

Late April Finger - 14 / 03 / 23

Kurtis MacDermid (D)

Prob Mon Lower Body - 08 / 03 / 23

Valeri Nichushkin (RW)

Ques Sat Illness - 03 / 03 / 23

Josh Manson (D)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 02 / 03 / 23

Kurtis MacDermid (D)

Ques Tues Concussion - 26 / 02 / 23

Valeri Nichushkin (RW)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 15 / 02 / 23

Pavel Francouz (G)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 23

Erik Johnson (D)

Early April Ankle - 11 / 02 / 23

Evan Rodrigues (C)

Ques Sat Face - 09 / 02 / 23

Calgary

Chris Tanev (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 22 / 03 / 23

Michael Stone (D)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 20 / 02 / 23

Elias Lindholm (C)

Ques Sat Personal - 18 / 02 / 23

Rasmus Andersson (D)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 09 / 02 / 23

Chris Tanev (D)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 25 / 01 / 23

Brett Ritchie (RW)

Out indefinitely Wrist - 01 / 01 / 23

Dennis Gilbert (D)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 22

Radim Zohorna (LW)

Ques Thurs Illness - 18 / 12 / 22

Chris Tanev (D)

Ques Tues Head - 13 / 12 / 22

Elias Lindholm (C)

Ques Wed Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 22

Injuries

Colorado

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Evan Rodrigues (C)	Out indefinitely	Concussion - 21 / 03 / 23	2-1	1-1-1	+ -
Rodrigues is going through the concussion protocol, and it remains to be seen when he will return to the lineup.
Artturi Lehkonen (LW)	Late April	Finger - 14 / 03 / 23	4-2	3-2-1	+ -
Lehkonen is idle after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured finger, and he is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Kurtis MacDermid (D)	Prob Mon	Lower Body - 08 / 03 / 23	5-5	4-5-1	+ -
MacDermid has been out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, but it is anticipated that he will return against the Blackhawks on Monday.
Valeri Nichushkin (RW)	Ques Sat	Illness - 03 / 03 / 23	5-7	6-5-1	+ -
Nichushkin is ailing from an illness, and it is up in the air if he will dress for Saturday's battle against the Stars.
Josh Manson (D)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 02 / 03 / 23	6-7	6-6-1	+ -
Manson is idle due to lower-body injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Kurtis MacDermid (D)	Ques Tues	Concussion - 26 / 02 / 23	8-7	6-7-2	+ -
MacDermid has been absent from the last four games while going through the league's concussion protocol, and it remains to be seen if he will be available Tuesday against the Sharks.
Valeri Nichushkin (RW)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 15 / 02 / 23	12-8	9-9-2	+ -
Nichushkin is battling an unknown ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will line up for Wednesday's matchup versus the Wild.
Pavel Francouz (G)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 23	12-8	9-9-2	+ -
Francouz is idle with a lower-body injury, and a timetable for recovery has yet to be established.
Erik Johnson (D)	Early April	Ankle - 11 / 02 / 23	12-9	9-10-2	+ -
Johnson has been designated to the injured reserve list with a broken ankle, and he will remain idle until at least the beginning of April.
Evan Rodrigues (C)	Ques Sat	Face - 09 / 02 / 23	13-9	9-11-2	+ -
Rodrigues was removed from the previous game due to a facial injury, and it is unknown if he will take part in Saturday's clash with the Panthers.

Calgary

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Chris Tanev (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 22 / 03 / 23	1-2	1-2	+ -
Tanev has sat out the last two games with an upper-body issue, and it is unknown if he will face the Sharks on Saturday.
Michael Stone (D)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 20 / 02 / 23	9-9	9-9	+ -
Stone has hit the injured reserve list with a lower-body ailment, and it remains to be seen when he will be activated.
Elias Lindholm (C)	Ques Sat	Personal - 18 / 02 / 23	9-10	10-9	+ -
Lindholm is away from the team for the birth of his child, and it is unknown if he will take on the Rangers on Saturday.
Rasmus Andersson (D)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 09 / 02 / 23	11-12	13-10	+ -
Andersson has missed the last three contests after being involved in a motor vehicle accident, and it is unclear if he will be active against the Red Wings on Thursday.
Chris Tanev (D)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 25 / 01 / 23	12-14	15-11	+ -
Tanev has been activated from the injured reserve list after healing from an upper-body injury, and it is predicted he will be active for Monday's clash against the Rangers.
Brett Ritchie (RW)	Out indefinitely	Wrist - 01 / 01 / 23	17-20	19-18	+ -
Ritchie has been activated from the injured reserve after recovering from a wrist injury, but there is no timetable for when he will return to the ice.
Dennis Gilbert (D)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 22	19-23	22-20	+ -
Gilbert has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from an unknown ailment, but it is unclear if he will make his return Saturday versus the Canucks.
Radim Zohorna (LW)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 18 / 12 / 22	19-24	23-20	+ -
Zohorna has missed the last two games with an illness, and it remains to be seen if he will lace up against the Kings on Thursday.
Chris Tanev (D)	Ques Tues	Head - 13 / 12 / 22	19-26	24-21	+ -
Tanev has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from a head injury, and it is undetermined if he will return versus the Sharks on Tuesday.
Elias Lindholm (C)	Ques Wed	Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 22	20-26	25-21	+ -
Lindholm missed the previous game with an upper-body ailment, and it is up in the air if he will play Wednesday against the Canucks.