NHL Game Preview - Calgary at Arizona

Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:00 PM EST

Fresh off a successful 2-1-0 road trip that saw them defeat two top teams, Washington and St. Louis, in shootouts, the Arizona Coyotes look to take some of their early season road magic and apply it to home games.

Arizona is 7-3-2 away from Gila River Arena but 4-4-0 at home, with only one win in its own building in the past four games. Still, the Coyotes are Pacific Division contenders, but they blew a two-goal, late third period lead to the Flames in Calgary in a 4-3 overtime loss on Nov. 5.

The Coyotes get a return engagement with the Flames on Saturday afternoon.

The Coyotes are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild to end their recent road trip, one in which they toppled a pair of division leaders in dramatic fashion.

Head coach Rick Tocchet was asked about his team's play in its first 20 games of the season.

"It's been a good 20. But there's a little bit more there. And we need more from some guys. We need some people to make some plays for us at the right time," Tocchet said after the Minnesota game. "But for the most part it's been pretty consistent effort from the guys."

Winger Conor Garland scored his ninth goal of the season at Minnesota. He leads the Coyotes in goals.

"He seems to be in the right spot. He'll go to the areas and he's getting rewarded for it," Tocchet said.

The Flames have lost two straight games, both at home. But of more concern is the health of defenseman T. J. Brodie, who passed out in practice on Thursday and was hospitalized.

Brodie came to and was alert, then spent the rest of the day in a local hospital. He was released that same night.

"He's feeling good. He's sore," Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said at a press conference on Friday. "All of the tests that have been done to date have come back negative. He's doing well. ... We're not going to leave any stone unturned in terms of the tests that we go through."

There's no timetable for Brodie's return, and he'll see a team of neurologists for further tests.

"It was scary. It was emotional for everybody," Treliving said.

Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm lead Calgary in goals with 10 each, and Tkachuk's 20 points lead the team.

The Flames have won four of the past five meetings between the two teams. Goaltender Cam Talbot is coming off a 29-save performance in a 3-1 loss to Dallas on Wednesday night.

"I mean, you want to win hockey games," Talbot said. "That's first and foremost. But I think if I go out and put on performances like that more often than not, I'll get a little bit more run support than I did. I have a lot of confidence in the group in front of me.

"I thought we gave ourselves a chance," Talbot added.

--Field Level Media