Ducks vs Flames Picks, Predictions, and Odds Tonight

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11 March 2023

Ducks vs Flames Picks, Predictions, and Odds Tonight

While Calgary is in the midst of a highly-disappointing campaign, center Mikael Backlund is currently enjoying one of his most productive seasons. Find out why we're backing the veteran forward in our Ducks vs. Flames betting picks.

The Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames will meet for just the second time this season on Friday night.

The Flames prevailed in overtime in the lone meeting between these clubs at the Honda Center back on December 23 by a score of 3-2, giving them their seventh victory in their last eight chances against the Ducks.

Can Anaheim turn the tide on the road tonight? Find out in our free NHL picks and predictions for Ducks vs. Flames on March 10.

Ducks vs Flames best odds

Ducks vs Flames picks and predictions

It’s been a miserable season for the Anaheim Ducks, and among the glaring weaknesses is their complete inability to stop opposing teams from scoring.

The Ducks are dead-last in the league in shots allowed per game, as they’re coughing up 39.2 per game. It’s even a significant gap to Arizona, who comes in 31st with 35.7 shots allowed per contest.

The Calgary Flames forwards have to be licking their chops ahead of this tilt. The Flames rank second in the NHL in shots per game at 35.4. Calgary nearly doubled up Anaheim in shots on goal in its lone meeting this season, winning that statistical battle 45-23.

The Flames forward most likely to take advantage of this matchup is Mikael Backlund, who’s been racking up the shots on goal of late despite not finding the twine in six straight games.

Backlund is second on the team in shots behind only Nazem Kadri, but he leads all Calgary skaters in shots since the All-Star break with 3.9 per contest. He’s even averaging 4.2 shots on goal over his last 10 games, hitting the Over on his shots on goal prop nine times in that span.

I’m riding the wave with Backlund, who tallied four shots against Anaheim in his lone game against the Ducks this year. He may not snap his scoreless streak tonight, but it won’t be for a lack of trying.

My best bet: Mikael Backlund Over 3.5 shots on goal (-110)

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Ducks vs Flames moneyline analysis

Calgary has curtailed a five-game losing streak by winning each of its last two games, but that is hardly convincing enough to make them -400 favorites over any NHL team.

Meanwhile, not a single Flames skater has notched multiple goals through four games in March. Elias Lindholm is second on the team in points this season but has registered just one point over his last seven efforts.

Anaheim is hot (relatively speaking), winning four of itslast seven overall. This squad also covered on the puck line in two of its last three losses. Not all of the Ducks’ opponents in that span were cupcakes either, as they knocked off Washington and Carolina during that span.

Troy Terry has played a significant role in Anaheim’s success in this stretch, tallying a goal in five of his team’s last seven affairs. If I had to take a side on the moneyline tonight, it would be the Ducks at around +300.

However, I’d rather have them on the puck line at about +135, especially considering their miserable track record in this rivalry.

Ducks vs Flames Over/Under analysis

The trends are firmly in favor of the Under for this Friday nightcap. The Under is 11-5-1 in the last 17 meetings between the Ducks and the Flames. Anaheim has also gone 5-1-1 to the Under in its last seven overall, with an average of only 5.57 goals scored per game.

Calgary is 4-2 to the Under in its last six, with just 3.83 total goals per game in that span. That does not include the awarded goal for the Flames’ recent shootout triumph, which marked the second contest in their last three in which they were shut out during regulation.

Ducks starting netminder John Gibson has played some of his best hockey of the season over his last five games, compiling a 2.60 GAA and .933 SV%. He was recently spelled by Lukas Dostal, so Gibson should get the nod in goal.

Jacob Markstrom is in line to make his seventh straight start tonight, so keep an eye out for a potential Dan Vladar appearance for the Flames. Markstrom has been sharp in March, posting a 2.21 GAA and .936 SV%. Vladar, on the other hand, authored a 3.72 GAA and a .831 SV% in five starts in February.

If Vladar indeed gets the nod, you might wish you had pounced on the Under 6.5 at increased juice.