Vegas Golden Knights vs. Calgary Flames: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 10/18/2022

Time: 9 p.m. ET

Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB

Where to watch: SNW, ATTSN-RM

DraftKings: Flames -155, Golden Knights +135

FanDuel: Flames -162, Golden Knights +134

BetMGM: Flames -161, Golden Knights +135

Caesars: Flames -160, Golden Knights +135

Golden Knights: 3-0-0

Flames: 2-0-0

Arguably the two standard barriers in the Pacific Division go at it Tuesday night in Calgary with the Vegas Golden Knights trying to improve to 4-0-0 while the Calgary Flames try to go to 3-0-0 in a battle of high-powered offense, stingy defense, and goaltending that could be either really good or really something else.

The Golden Knights have won their first three games when I don’t think many anticipated that it would be the case. Sure, I don’t think people thought they would be full-on bad, but goaltending issues have been addressed in the short term, they’re finding ways to put the puck in the back of the net, and we’re reminded quickly that the talent on this team remains near the top of the league. Vegas is coming off a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday in which Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and Adin Hill carried a shutout deep into the third period. A win would get the Golden Knights to tie their best start in franchise history, set back in the shortened COVID year in 2021.

“I think it’s good for the guys to get a taste of success early – everyone is chasing that early in the year and we don’t want to be behind,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I thought we started well tonight, which is something we addressed. I didn’t think our starts in L.A. and at home against Chicago were great. They weren’t bad, but when you can put the other team on their heels, that always helps.”

Vegas has found ways to win in a myriad of ways, whether it be back-and-forth games, defensive battles and just destroying teams that they’re better than. So far, you can’t really say anything bad of the Golden Knights to this point.

The Flames were a team considered to be in slight rebuild but maybe not as better as they were a year ago. But for all intents and purposes, replacing Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk with Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri is not a horrible offsetting procedure. The Flames are still talented at the top, but the case can be made that they’re a little bit better. And when your first two wins come against the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers, you’re likely doing something right. Now, the 4-3 win against the Oilers on Saturday came with a 4-1 lead nearly blown to smithereens, but at least they got the win and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

“The first period was good, we came out with a lot of energy and did some good things,” said Flames defenseman Michael Stone, who recorded his first career three-point game and will be carrying a hot streak into the showdown against his brother, the Vegas captain on Tuesday. “We kind of got back on our heels a little bit in the second, but we managed to turn it back around in the third and finished the game off well, which was good to see.”

Logan Thompson and Jacob Markstrom are expected to man the creases for Vegas and Calgary, respectively. The last time Thompson played his hometown team, he allowed just one goal and the Golden Knights won 6-1. Can luck strike twice?

Narratives, which are the best, will go either way no matter who wins. Ultimately, I want to see if Thompson can handle the pressure of a big-time game in what will be the first real test of the Cassidy era. I think they get it done. Golden Knights win 4-3

Golden Knights are 59-37 following a division game the last three years.

Golden Knights are 28-16 off a road win the last three years.

Flames are 8-11 off a road win against a division opponent over the last three years.

Flames are 44-31 off an over the last three years.

Golden Knights:

Reilly Smith -- Jack Eichel -- Phil Kessel

Brett Howden -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault -- William Karlsson -- Paul Cotter

William Carrier -- Nicolas Roy -- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez -- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb -- Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague -- Zach Whitecloud 

Logan Thompson

Flames:

Jonathan Huberdeau -- Elias Lindholm -- Tyler Toffoli

Dillon Dube -- Nazem Kadri -- Andrew Mangiapane

Blake Coleman -- Mikael Backlund -- Trevor Lewis

Milan Lucic -- Kevin Rooney -- Brett Ritchie

MacKenzie Weegar -- Chris Tanev

Noah Hanifin -- Rasmus Andersson

Nikita Zadorov -- Michael Stone

Jacob Markstrom

Statistical leaders

Points: Multiple tied -- 3

Goals: Jonathan Marchessault -- 3

Assists: Alex Pietrangelo -- 3

Goalie: Logan Thompson -- 2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .947 SV%

Points: Michael Stone -- 3

Goals: Many tied -- 1

Assists: Michael Stone -- 2

Goalie: Jacob Markstrom -- 1-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .880 SV%