Game Preview: Calgary Flames vs. Pittsburgh Penguins on January 10, 2026
Who’s Playing: The Calgary Flames (with a record of 18 wins, 22 losses, and 4 overtime losses, totaling 40 points, currently sitting in 7th place in the Pacific Division) take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (21 wins, 12 losses, and 9 overtime losses, earning 51 points and ranked 4th in the Metropolitan Division).
When to Tune In: The puck drops at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Where to Watch: You can catch the game live on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and SN/TVAS or stream it on ESPN+.
Looking Ahead for the Penguins: The Penguins continue their busy schedule with a matchup tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET against the Boston Bruins. Following that, they will return to Pittsburgh for three home games next week, starting with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, and then facing division rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Columbus Blue Jackets, on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
Calgary Flames' Recent Performance: Unfortunately for the Flames, their recent form has been disheartening. They are currently enduring a four-game losing streak and have struggled offensively, scoring only a single goal in each of their last three games, resulting in a staggering 18-3 goal deficit. Earlier this week, they lost back-to-back matches against the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.
Season Matchup: This marks the first encounter of the season between the Flames and the Penguins, but they will meet again later this month when the Penguins travel to Calgary on January 21 as part of a four-game road trip through the West Coast.
A Stat Worth Noting: Heading into this game, the Flames have the lowest points percentage on the road in the entire NHL, managing just a 6-15-2 record, translating to a mere .304 points percentage in their 23 away games so far this season.
Another Interesting Stat: According to the Penguins PR team, the Penguins hold an impressive 13-1-4 record in games where at least one player from their current fourth line—which includes Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari—contributes with a point.
Let’s Dive Deeper into the Flames’ Roster
Projected Lines:
FORWARDS
Jonathan Huberdeau - Nazem Kadri - Joel Farabee
Blake Coleman - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato
Connor Zary - Morgan Frost - Yegor Sharangovich
Ryan Lomberg - Justin Kirkland - Adam Klapka
DEFENSEMEN
Kevin Bahl / Rasmus Andersson
Yan Kuznetsov / MacKenzie Weegar
Joel Hanley / Hunter Brzustewicz
Goalies: Dustin Wolf, Devin Cooley
Possible Scratches: Zayne Parekh (day-to-day with an upper-body injury), William Stromgren, Brayden Pachal
Injured Reserve: Jake Bean, Samuel Honk, John Beecher, Martin Pospisil
* Flames fans haven’t seen rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh since he made history by securing a record 13 points as a defenseman at the 2025 Canadian World Juniors tournament. At just 19 years old, he was sidelined during Calgary's recent back-to-back matches earlier this week.
* Dustin Wolf has been in goal for eight consecutive starts for the Flames, including the team's recent losses to the Canadiens and the Bruins. Backup goalie Devin Cooley is reportedly dealing with an illness, a situation that head coach Ryan Huska described as not ideal, indicating that relying heavily on Wolf isn’t the perfect strategy. Whether Wolf will make a ninth straight start against the Penguins may hinge on Cooley's health.
The Flames find themselves at a pivotal point as the trade deadline approaches. Currently, they sit in a precarious position, still in contention for a playoff spot (only six points behind a Wild Card position in the Western Conference with 38 games remaining in the season). After a strong December performance (9-4-0), they have stumbled in January, suffering four straight losses (0-4).
With veterans playing key roles and younger players being carefully managed—rookie winger William Stromgren made his NHL debut recently but played just over eight minutes before being scratched for the following game—the team is navigating a delicate balance.
The Flames are also struggling offensively, ranking as the lowest-scoring team in the NHL with an average of just 2.13 goals per game, while allowing the fifth-highest number of goals against, averaging 3.57 per game. Additionally, their power play efficiency stands at a disappointing 12.5 percent.
Rumors have linked Blake Coleman with the Montreal Canadiens as a potential trade target, while Rasmus Andersson, whose contract is expiring, could also be a valuable asset in trades. The decision to move these players—or others—will likely depend on how quickly the Flames can turn their fortunes around and end their current losing streak.
Now, Let’s Consider the Penguins
Projected Lines:
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Evgeni Malkin - Ben Kindel - Yegor Chinakhov
Anthony Mantha - Tommy Novak - Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Brett Kulak / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Jack St. Ivany
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Ville Koivunen, Kevin Hayes, Connor Clifton
Injured Reserve: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Rutger McGroarty
* The Penguins held an optional practice on Friday in preparation for today’s game and the back-to-back matchups this weekend, as reported by Michelle Crechiolo.
* Evgeni Malkin made his return from injury playing alongside Ben Kindel during Thursday’s victory against the New Jersey Devils. It will be interesting to see if he continues on the wing or shifts back to his usual center position for his second game back.
* The Penguins are currently on a roll, boasting six consecutive victories, with only the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won eight straight, enjoying a longer winning streak.
* According to Penguins PR, if Erik Karlsson manages to score or provide an assist tonight, he will become the first Penguins defenseman to achieve points in 10 consecutive home games since Dick Tarnstrom accomplished the feat back in 2002.
