Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in head-to-head matchups. Today, we preview the game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames. Check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames
Head to Head: Ducks 0 – 1 Flames
Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: SNW; Victory+; KCOP-13; ESPN+
The Ducks (21-23-6) will conclude their short two-game road trip when they take on the Flames (24-18-7) at the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta on January 30, 2025. This is the second of four meetings between the two Pacific Division rivals. Calgary won the first matchup 3-2 in overtime just three weeks ago, and these two teams will not face each other again until early April. The game-winner was one of the most bizarre goals ever; Jacob Trouba attempted to bank the puck to himself off the yellow kick plate at the bottom of the boards. The puck took a crazy bounce over the net and landed in John Gibson‘s crease, where Jonathan Huberdeau had a tap-in.
TROUBA ALLEY-OOPS HUBERDEAU FOR THE OT WINNER ? pic.twitter.com/dCXXqeN92c
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 8, 2025
The bounce can only be attributed to the good luck/juju/vibes that come with a team’s mothers’ trip. This marked the Flames’ ninth straight road win against the Ducks after the Ducks had won 29 straight home regular season and playoff games against the Flames between 2006 and 2017.
Calgary Flames’ Inconsistent Play and Offensive Concerns
In typical “wild card team” fashion, the Flames are in a pattern of “win three games, lose two”. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and are certainly playing inconsistently. Calgary beats teams like Winnipeg but loses back-to-back games against St. Louis. As clutch as Nazem Kadri can be, he should not be any team’s leading scorer over the last five games and two below the team lead for the season. Kadri has five points and three goals in the last five games, which is respectable but the Flames need more offense from players like Huberdeau. There is a clear number one in net for the Flames. Expect Dustin Wolf to get the start with his. 2.56 goals against average this season and a .915 save percentage.
Anaheim Ducks’ Explosive Offense Fuels Optimism
There must be something in the Ducks’ magic water bottles on the bench. The Ducks have now scored 5 goals in back-to-back-to-back games. For a team that has been desperate for offense for what feels like seasons now, this is an extremely welcome change.
First time Ducks have scored 5 goals in 3 straight games since February 2016.
Scorers in those 4 games included 2 goals from Mike Santorelli (!?!), Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Rickard Rakell, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Kevin Bieksa.@SportingTrib | #FlyTogether
— Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) January 29, 2025
Mason McTavish continues to make Greg Cronin choke on his words as he force-feeds goals onto the scoresheet. McTavish had another gorgeous one-timer goal from the right dot (mirror Ovi?) after scoring two goals in back-to-back games. McTavish now has six goals in the last five games and seven points in that span. He’s a couple more two-goal games away from taking the team lead. The “obviously” stat tracker now has the Ducks at 20-0-2 this season when they score three or more goals. John Gibson is back practicing after an upper-body injury and should draw in against the Flames. Gibson has a 2.76 goals against average and a .914 save percentage this season.
Prediction
The Ducks come into this matchup riding a hot streak, scoring 16 goals in their last three games, a drastic improvement over their season average of 2.54 goals per game. Meanwhile, the Flames have been steadier defensively (2.96 GA/GP) but struggle on the penalty kill (71.3%, 29th in the NHL). Both teams rank near the bottom in faceoffs and special teams, meaning this could come down to who capitalizes on key moments. If Anaheim maintains their scoring surge, they should outgun Calgary, but if they regress, this could turn into a tighter, low-scoring battler. That said, the hot (pun intended) scoring team gets the edge.
Prediction: Ducks win 4 – 2
Prop Bets of the Night
We close out our NHL Predictions for the Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames with some of our preferred prop bets of the night. Keep an eye on Ducks money line (+146). In the spirit of staying on the “hot” theme, also consider Mason McTavish anytime goal (+320). Odds courtesy of FanDuel. Record this season (6-10).
Note: Always check the latest team news and player statuses before placing any bets, as injuries and other factors can influence game outcomes.
Main photo by: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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