The Calgary Flames travel to T-Mobile Arena to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, fresh off their first win of the season.
Vegas leads the Pacific Division with a 6-2-0 record and also won on Tuesday, defeating the Nashville Predators 5-2.
Calgary improved to 1-5-0 and two points by beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Tuesday.
The Flames have lost their last four games at T-Mobile Arena and hold a 2-11-2 record in 15 games in Vegas since entering the league.
This is the first meeting of the teams' four-game 2026-27 season series.
Backlund Points to Persistence
Calgary captain Mikael Backlund said the win in Anaheim reflected the team's persistence after an uneven start.
"I think we just kept going.
I felt like the group was ready not to lose and it was like, 'We're not gonna be denied in here, we're gonna keep pushing, and we're gonna turn this around,'" Backlund said.
He added that while there were dips in the game, most of the night the team played with pace and energy.
According to NHL. com, Calgary's staff emphasized the elements that produced the victory during Wednesday's practice in Vegas.
Backlund said the team wants to repeat those details against a stronger opponent.
"We've got to stick to what works for us.
We had a good meeting this morning, coaches showing us what we did well and why we were winning," he said.
"We've got to keep doing that, keep playing that solid game and making it hard on the teams and (making) it frustrating for them."
Vegas Depth and Lineup Notes
Vegas has scored through its depth, with five different skaters scoring in Tuesday's victory, according to NHL. com.
Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel each have four goals, while Eichel leads the team with 13 points.
Forward Brett Howden said the spread of scoring reflects the Golden Knights' ability to receive contributions throughout the lineup.
"We talk a lot about how much our depth means to our team, and how effective it is.
It goes to show that we can count on anyone on any given night," Howden said.
Ivan Barbashev enters the matchup with four assists and no goals through eight games, according to Sports Yahoo.
He averaged 16:09 of ice time and had six points in three meetings with Calgary last season.
Vegas has moved Barbashev onto its top line with Eichel and Mark Stone following Victor Olofsson's injury, while Barbashev is also listed on the second power-play unit, according to Sports Yahoo.
Olofsson is unavailable after being placed on injured reserve following an Oct. 6 game against the Seattle Kraken, according to NHL.
com.
Vegas is also without Parker Wotherspoon, while Calgary lists Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Honzek as unavailable.
Calgary projected Dustin Wolf to start his third consecutive game, with Devin Cooley as backup, while Vegas projected Adin Hill to start after Tuesday's win, backed up by Carter Hart, according to FlamesNation.
The teams will meet again Feb. 1 in Calgary, Feb.
13 in Vegas and March 27 in Calgary, according to NHL. com.
Calgary won one of four meetings last season, taking a 6-3 home victory on Dec. 20.
Backlund also described Calgary's new postgame award, which uses a hard hat and high-visibility vest associated with the Scotia Place construction project.
"We went to tour the new arena (earlier this month), and I talked to Huby (Jonathan Huberdeau) right away, and I thought it'd be a great idea," Backlund said.
"Felt good to put it on, and I thought we looked good in the gear, and I thought it'd be a great way to show respect and appreciation for all the people behind the scenes working hard to get that building up for us, the city of Calgary and the organization."
"Right away when I saw it, I asked Huby what he thought and he was pumped right away.
Then (we) brought it to the other leaders and they all liked the idea."
"This year being the last year of the 'Dome, going into the new arena, (we're) just showing a lot of appreciation to everyone working hard."
