Calgary has conceded 35 goals in seven games, and Carolina arrives having won six in a row. Hurricanes vs Flames closes Carolina’s weekend in western Canada, at the Saddledome on Sunday 18 October.
How to watch
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Game | Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames |
| Date | Sunday 18 October 2026 |
| Puck drop | 8:00pm ET / 6:00pm MT |
| Venue | Scotiabank Saddledome |
| Records | Carolina 6-1-1, Calgary 1-6-0 |
Regional coverage can differ from the national listing above, and blackout rules apply in some areas. Check our how to watch the NHL in Canada page for the full list.
Hurricanes vs Flames odds
No Canadian book had this game up when we wrote the preview. NHL prices usually appear the night before or the morning of, so check the NHL odds page for the live board and NHL predictions for priced picks.
Calgary’s goaltending has been the worst in the league
The Flames are 1-6-0, with 14 goals for and 35 against. Seattle beat them 6-1 twice in the first four days, Colorado scored seven at the Saddledome, and their only win was 4-2 in Anaheim on 13 October. On Thursday in Vegas they lost 6-2, Mark Stone scoring three times in the third period.
Dustin Wolf is 1-4-0 in five starts, at .834 and 4.85, and Devin Cooley has lost both of his at .818. Five goals against a game is the worst rate in the league; Vancouver, next worst, is at 4.6.
The attack hasn’t helped. Calgary has scored twice or fewer in five of seven games, and only Philadelphia is scoring fewer goals per game. Its power play ran at 16.2 per cent last season, and Jonathan Huberdeau is out with a hip injury and no return date.
How they compare
| 2025-26 | Carolina Hurricanes | Calgary Flames |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 53-22-7 | 34-39-9 |
| Points | 113 | 77 |
| Goals for per game | 3.55 | 2.54 |
| Goals against per game | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Power play | 24.9% | 16.2% |
| Penalty kill | 80.5% | 80.4% |
Thirty-six points and a goal a game separated them last season, and only the penalty kills were close. The gap is wider this October: Carolina is plus 12 on goals, Calgary minus 21.
Carolina has won six straight and is playing a second night in a row
At 6-1-1, Carolina has scored 31 and allowed 19. Philadelphia has been beaten twice, Vancouver 7-2 and Washington 4-2 in Raleigh on 13 October.
Pyotr Kochetkov is 4-0 in his starts at .911 and 1.73, and Brandon Bussi has the other four at .871. Whoever plays in Winnipeg on Saturday, the other is likely to start the second night here.
The Hurricanes have done it without Seth Jarvis, who scored 32 goals last season and is on injured reserve after shoulder surgery. Jordan Staal and Taylor Hall are out as well, and Alexander Nikishin is unsigned in a contract dispute.
The series is dead level, and Calgary won the last one
| Date | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Mar 2026 | Calgary 5-4 | Calgary |
| 30 Nov 2025 | Carolina 1-0 (OT) | Carolina |
| 2 Mar 2025 | Carolina 2-1 (OT) | Carolina |
| 24 Oct 2024 | Carolina 4-2 | Calgary |
Forty meetings, twenty wins each. Calgary won the most recent one 5-4 at the Saddledome in March.
Carolina had won the three before that, two of them in overtime, 1-0 and 2-1. Most of these games have been tighter than the standings would suggest.
Team news
| Club | Player | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Calgary | Jonathan Huberdeau | Out, hip. He missed the final 26 games of last season and the club has not said when he will be available |
| Calgary | Samuel Honzek | Out, lower body, facing a multi-game absence |
| Carolina | Seth Jarvis | Out, shoulder. He had surgery in June and the club called it four to six months, though he has said he hopes to beat it |
| Carolina | Jordan Staal | Out, calf, on injured reserve |
| Carolina | Taylor Hall | Out, upper body |
| Carolina | Alexander Nikishin | Unavailable. He is an unsigned restricted free agent who has requested a trade, not an injury |
Carolina’s absentees cost more: Jarvis, Staal and Hall are three forwards, and the team is still scoring close to four a game. Calgary hasn’t found goals without Huberdeau, and Samuel Honzek is out as well. All injuries are on our NHL injury report.
Players to watch
Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina. Four starts, four wins, 1.73. Whether he or Bussi gets Sunday depends on who plays in Winnipeg.
Matt Coronato, Calgary. Scored the late power-play goal in Vegas on Thursday, his second in seven games for a team that’s barely scoring.
Dustin Wolf, Calgary. A .834 across five starts. Calgary needs something like last November’s game in Raleigh, which stayed 0-0 until Carolina won it in overtime.
Score prediction
Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 Calgary Flames. Calgary can’t keep the puck out, and only the back-to-back stops us going bigger.
Hurricanes vs Flames prediction
The Hurricanes should be too strong. They have the second-best goal difference in the league behind Vegas, and Calgary is 1-6-0, conceding five a game and scoring two or fewer in most of its games.
Calgary’s hope is tired legs after Winnipeg, and a series that has stayed close for years. Our lean: Carolina, and the over if the total sits at 6 or lower. The Flames have conceded five or more in four of seven games. Our NHL power rankings show where both stand, and the rest of the weekend is on the NHL schedule.
Puck drop is 8:00pm ET / 6:00pm MT on Sunday 18 October 2026 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Flames are 1-6-0 with 14 goals scored and 35 conceded in seven games. Their only win came 4-2 in Anaheim on 13 October.
No. He is out with a hip problem, having missed the final 26 games of last season, and Calgary has not given a return date.
The all-time series is level at 20 wins each. Calgary won the most recent meeting 5-4 at home in March 2026.
Carolina to win 4-2, and the over if the total sits at 6 or lower.
19+ (18+ in AB, MB and QC). Picks are opinion, not advice, and odds change constantly. Availability varies by province. Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 for Ontario residents; see your province’s helpline for resources elsewhere.