SCOTT CRUICKSHANK

Colorado Avalanche (2-4-0) at Calgary Flames (1-2-1)

7 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: FAN 960

THE FLAMES

KEEP YOUR EYE ONRW JAROME IGINLA

Captain playing well already. With 76 points in 89 dates, Colorado is his second-favourite opponent. (Iginla has registered 82 points versus Edmonton.)

The Lines

C. Glencross A. Tanguay J. Iginla

M. Cammalleri M. Backlund L. Stempniak

J. Hudler M. Stajan R. Cervenka

S. Begin B. Jones B. Comeau

The Pairings

M. Giordano J. Bouwmeester

T.J. Brodie D. Wideman

C. Butler C. Sarich

The Goalies

M. Kiprusoff

L. Irving

The injuries

D Anton Babchuk (shoulder), LW Sven Baertschi (lower body)

THE AVALANCHE

KEEP YOUR EYE ONRW P. A. PARENTEAU

An off-season signing, the Hull, Que., native has been money in the bank. The ex-Islander has produced three goals in five games, going plus-five.

The lines

J. McGinn M. Duchene P.A. Parenteau

J. Mitchell P. Stastny D. Jones

C. Kobasew M. Sgarbossa M. Hejduk

C. McLeod M. Olver P. Bordeleau

The Pairings

E. Johnson R. Wilson

R. O’Byrne J. Hejda

G. Zanon T. Barrie

The goalies

S. Varlamov

J.S. Giguere

The injuries

C Ryan O’Reilly (holdout), RW Gabriel Landeskog (head, neck), RW Steve Downie (knee)

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. CAPTAIN KAPUT — RW Gabriel Landeskog may be only 20 years old, but he’s an integral part of the Avs’ lineup. He’s their captain, he’s their star. Now, after being clobbered Saturday by San Jose D Brad Stuart, he’s sidelined indefinitely with head/neck injuries. Last season — 22 goals, 52 points, plus-20, 219 hits, 82 games — Landeskog bagged the Calder Trophy as the circuit’s top freshman.

2. AVALANCHE OF MEMORIES — Bob Hartley got his pro-hockey start in the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche system, coaching AHL Cornwall and AHL Hershey, before joining the Avs and capturing the 2001 Stanley Cup. “It’s always special,” said Hartley. “I spent nine and a half years in that organization. I grew up with Pierre Lacroix and all those guys. That is a very special place for me.” This marks the fourth time he’s faced the Avs. He’s 2-0-1.

3. ON A ROLL ALREADY — RW Lee Stempniak is off to a brisk start, a good sign for any player ... but especially for him, one of the streakiest chaps in the NHL. In his second season with the Flames, Stempniak leads the Flames with five points, including three goals, in four dates.

4. LAST WHALER SKATING — Colorado G Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the only former member of the Hartford Whalers still going. “I didn’t spend a lot of time there, but it’ll always be special to me, the team and the organization,” Giguere, drafted 13th overall in 1995, told the Denver Post. “It was too bad the team had to move, because they had a lot of great fans. But those things happen sometimes.” Giguere was subsequently shipped to the Flames. But after three fruitless seasons here, he moved the Anaheim and became a mainstay for the Ducks. Now 35, he’s backing up G Semyon Varlamov.

5. INS, OUTS, WHAT-HAVE-YOUS — Colorado summoned C Michael Sgarbossa from AHL Lake Erie. The rookie played Wednesday in Vancouver ... Calgary LW Alex Tanguay has 499 career assists, which ties him with Marc Savard and Randy Carlyle for 126th on the NHL’s all-time charts. With 505 career helpers is Ivan Boldriev ... The special-team good news is that the Flames’ power play is seventh. The bad news is their penalty killing — 27th, at 68.8 per cent ... Calgary’s centremen have thundered up to 23rd in faceoff efficiency. They’d been dead last after two dates. Last season, they were 30th.