The Flames

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KEEP YOUR EYE ON G HENRIK KARLSSON

Affectionately known by his teammates as the Calgary Tower, the six-foot-six skyscraper gets his first NHL start in a building where the Flames normally struggle, especially in back-to-backs. Flames fans can only hope he gets more support than the departed Curtis McElhinney.

The lines

A. Tanguay O. Jokinen J. Iginla

N. Hagman M. Stajan R. Bourque

C. Glencross M. Backlund B. Morrison

C. Conroy S. Meyer T. Jackman

The Pairings

J. Bouwmeester S. Staios

R. Regehr I. White

M. Giordano C. Sarich

Goaltenders

H. Karlsson

M. Kiprusoff

The injuries

C Daymond Langkow (neck), RW David Moss (shoulder), LW Ales Kotalik (knee), D Adam Pardy (shoulder), Raitis Ivanans (suspected concussion.)

The JACKETs

KEEP YOUR EYE ONRW RICK NASH

The captain popped two goals the other night in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. He may not have much of a supporting cast, but the Jackets need their sniper at the top of his game to have any chance at the playoffs.

The lines

K. Huselius A. Vermette R. Nash

N. Filatov D. Brassard J. Voracek

D. Dorsett S. Pahlsson R.J. Umberger

D. MacKenzie C. Clark K. Wilson

The Pairings

J. Hejda N. Holden

F. Tyutin N. Guenin

M. Methot R. Klesla

GOALTENDERS

S. Mason

M. Garon

The Injuries

D Mike Commodore (thumb), LW Ethan Moreau (hand), D Anton Stralman (upper body), D Kris Russell (lower body), C Andrew Murray (knee), RW Jared Boll (back)

Notes

LW Ethan Moreau underwent surgery Thursday to repair his right hand. The former Edmonton Oiler broke his paw Tuesday blocking a shot from Anaheim D Paul Mara. He is expected to miss four to six weeks . . . The Jackets recorded the smallest crowed in team history against Anaheim with an announced gathering of 9,802 at Nationwide Arena. Can't see it getting any better with Calgary coming town. Chicago, Pittsburgh and Detroit are the biggest draws for the Jackets.

 

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Columbus Morning Skate - Flames

All indications are that Blue Jackets defenseman Anton Stralman -- out the last two games with a sprained shoulder -- will return tonight to face his former club, the Calgary Flames, in Nationwide Arena.

"It's a little sore still," Stralman said. "But I shouldn't be able to hurt it any worse. I'm looking forward to it.

"I had the same thing a couple of years ago (in my right shoulder). The concern is more about what I can do, how I can play. I'm not afraid to take a hit. Shooting is no problem. That's no issue at all."

The Blue Jackets can certainly use Stralman, especially on the power play. Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel agreed, although he would not confirm that Stralman is back in the lineup tonight.

"If we can get (Stralman) in there, it will certainly help things a lot," Arniel said. "You have to be dangerous from the top in order for all the cute stuff (down low) to become a part of it."

Side dishes:

-- Kyle Wilson will make his Blue Jackets debut tonight after watching the first five games as a healthy scratch. Wilson will open the game on the fourth line, playing left wing with center Derek MacKenzie and right winger Chris Clark. "It's the beginning of the season for me," Wilson said. "I have to be ready. It's not easy watching games like that, but you have to keep the right attitude and look at the bright side of everything. I'm here. I'm where I want to be. I'm close. I just kept working to get the opportunity, and here it is."

-- Flames goaltender Henrik Karlsson will make his NHL debut tonight against the Blue Jackets, As one press box wag opined: "It's like Henrik Karlsson fell out of the sky!" He's a 26-year-old Swede, yet two of the Blue Jackets' Swedes -- Anton Stralman and Sammy Pahlsson -- acknowledged they'd never heard of him until this morning. Beware: Karlsson is 6-5, 210 pounds and was 3-0 during the exhibition season. "He's certainly ready to play," Calgary coach Brent Sutter said. "I'm excited to see him play a regular-season game."

-- Asked how he'd advise the Blue Jackets to appoach Karlsson, here was Arniel's response: "Don't make it easy on him. Don't make those extra passes. Shoot pucks, Get traffic there. Battle for second and third opportunities. I know he had a 3-0 record in the preseason. He's a big goaltender. This will be three games in four nights for them, and we want to make sure it's not an easy game, for them or the goaltender. If the puck's getting in, we're getting after them, and we're being physical. If we can crash that net within the rules, we have to make sure we're doing it."

-- More chatter this morning about winger Derek Dorsett stepping up on the No. 3 line to to replace Ethan Moreau (broken hand). Arniel expects the checking line, now lined up as Umberger - Pahlsson - Dorsett, to be different, but not necessarily worse. "Even though he's a smaller guy, Dorse plays like he's 6-foot-5. Even though (Moreau's loss) s a big loss, I still like having Derek on that line."

-- Arniel said he won't instruct Dorsett to handle fightning differently, even though he now has a larger responsibility. "If it's (Flames winger Jarome) Iginla he gets into a staged fight with? I have no problem with that," Arniel joked. "But certainly, going out against their tough guy and thinking that's what he has to do, no. If a fight comes, it's because he's running people over, driving the other team bonkers. Hopefully it comes off an emotional play, or a play that just happens. I'm not going to tell him not to fight, but he also has to know that he has to play with that edge and put that fear in the opposition."

-- Steve Mason in goal.

-- The last player off the ice the last few days has been defenseman Mike Commodore, who is out with a sprained left thumb.

 

[Snafu]

Henrik Karlsson starts for Calgary ?

 

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Henrik Karlsson starts for Calgary ?

yes