Ottawa Senators vs. Calgary Flames Prediction, NHL Odds
The Senators return to action for the first time since January 1 riding a three-game losing streak, capped by a lopsided 6-0 loss to Toronto in their most recent outing. The Flames have also come up short in three straight contests, and will see their first action since dropping a 6-3 decision in Carolina last Friday night.
Calgary is a -233 favourite to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 6.0.
Senators vs. Flames NHL Betting Odds
The Senators have steadily lost ground on the Thursday NHL odds since opening as +198 underdogs. Ottawa briefly made gains in early betting, improving slightly to +193. But with 89 per cent of sports bettors backing Calgary, the Sens have since tumbled to their current position at +226. Conversely, the Flames have rocketed to -233 home favourites, while the puck total has held steady at 6.0.
Thursday night’s matchup marks the Senators’ first visit to Scotiabank Saddledome this season. The Sens earned the win in two of four visits to Calgary last season, but have fallen to defeat in their past two overall meetings with the Flames. That includes a 4-0 home loss on November 14 that featured a Senators lineup woefully depleted by an outbreak of COVID-19. And despite their recent respectable results in Calgary, the Senators have consistently struggled to score when facing the Flames on the road, tallying just a single goal in three of six visits.
Conversely, the Flames have enjoyed steady offensive production when facing Ottawa on home ice, averaging 4.33 goals per game over their past six. That has sparked a steady 3-0-1 run for the OVER when these teams meet in Cowtown. The OVER has also paid out regularly in recent contests featuring the Flames, going 5-1-0 over their past six. However, that has more to do with porous defence than prolific scoring, with the Flames allowing 4.17 goals per game over that stretch while averaging just two goals per game during their current three-game swoon. The momentum that Ottawa developed during a recent 5-1-0 has also dissipated, with the club scoring just four times during their current three-game slide.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators have largely moved past the widespread COVID-19 outbreak that has limited them to just one game played since December 18. One notable exception is second-year forward Tim Stutzle, who remains in quarantine and will miss Thursday’s contest. Stutzle was showing signs of breaking through before getting sidelined, tallying seven points in eight outings. Conversely, top scorers Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk have been silent, failing to record a point during the club’s three-game slide.
Calgary Flames
The Flames have also struggled to generate consistent scoring while losing seven of their past nine overall. In addition, the club has been a regular disappointment on home ice, where they have failed to tally a first-period goal in three straight contests, and potted two or fewer markers on six occasions during a worrisome 3-4-2 run. The exception has been Matthew Tkachuk, who has scored in three of five home games, and racked up nine total points in his past six overall appearances.
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