Trent Reinsmith
- What: Calgary Flames vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: SN1, SNW, TVAS, ESPN
Tonight, the Calgary Flames travel to Nevada to meet the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. The Western Conference matchup airs on ESPN.
Both these clubs are in the hunt for a spot in the 2023 NHL playoffs. The Golden Knights sit at the top of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference with a record of 34-18-5 (73 points). Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames are in the mix for a Wild Card spot. The team has a 26-20-11 record (63 points), which puts them in the No. 9 spot in the West, four points behind the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche.
Vegas brings a 17-13-0 home record into tonight’s ESPN matchup against Calgary. As for the Flames, they are a 11-9-9 road team on the 2023 NHL season.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for tonight’s NHL matchup between the Calgary Flames and the Vegas Golden Knights, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Calgary Flames vs. Vegas Golden Knights picks for February 23, 2023
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Calgary Flames | +131 | +115 | +120 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -145 | -135 | -140 |
Calgary Flames breakdown
The Flames have not been consistent this season. The team’s longest winning streak is three games, which it has managed twice in 2023. Meanwhile, Calgary has endured losing skids of seven games and five games this year. The Flames record over their past 10 outings is 4-4-2. In their most recent outing, the Flames dropped a home game to the Flyers by a score of 4-3.
Tyler Toffoli and Elias Lindholm are tied for the scoring lead for the Flames at 49 points each. Toffoli is the team’s leading goal scorer with 23, while Lindholm is tops on the club in assists with 33. Nazem Kadri is the only other player on the Flames with more than 40 points (21G, 20A).
The Flames goaltending duo of Jacob Markstrom and Dan Vladar have been average on the season with a combined goals against average of 3.04. The pair’s save percentage is .893.
Vegas Golden Knights breakdown
The Vegas Golden Knights lost their starting goaltender Logan Thompson earlier this month with a lower-body injury. However, the team has gone 3-0-1 since then with their only setback being a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. In the three games the Knights won, the team outscored their opponents 14-7. Overall, the Knights have a goal differential of plus 26 on the 2023 NHL season.
The players to watch tonight are Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel. Theodore leads the team in points over their past five games. The defenseman has seven points (2g, 5A) over that time. Meanwhile, Eichel leads the team in goals during that stretch with three. Chandler Stephenson is the overall team leader in points for the Golden Knights with 48 (12g, 36A). Ten players on the club have scored 10 or more goals during the 2023 NHL season.
Adin Hill has been in the net for three of the four games since Thompson has been out of the mix. He is 3-0 over that stretch.
Best bet for Calgary Flames vs. Vegas Golden Knights
There is some concern in net for the Vegas Golden Knights down the stretch, but the team’s capable offense should be enough to carry it into the playoffs. The Flames do not have the depth or the offense to beat the Golden Knights. The pick in tonight’s ESPN matchup between Calgary and Vegas is for the Golden Knights to win.
Pick: Vegas Golden Knights to beat Calgary Flames.
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