Calgary Flames determined to bounce back in Battle of Alberta
The Calgary Flames are coming off arguably their best performance of the season.
And coming off a loss.
An unlikely combo, no doubt, but the Flames can't afford to feel defeated as they digest Thursday's result against the Dallas Stars and head north for an absolutely crucial instalment of the Battle of Alberta.
With the Flames trying to chase down the St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, this would be a very bad time for back-to-back defeats. The Blues currently are six points up, although the Calgary-based crew has three games in hand.
'The result sucks, but honestly I thought we dominated that game. We were all over 'em,' Flames forward Joel Farabee said after Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Stars, a night that left most of the Saddledome fans furious about a pair of goals that were disallowed by the NHL's Situation Room.
'But we can't really mope and dwell on it, we've just gotta get back. If we can play that intense and that style the rest of the year, I think we're gonna get in.'
Their northern neighbours would, of course, like to throw a wrench in that plan.
The Oilers currently are shorthanded, with both of their superstar forwards — Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — likely to miss Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada clash at Rogers Arena.
Edmonton's starting puck-stopper, Stuart Skinner, also was sidelined for Thursday's lopsided loss to the Kraken in Seattle.
The Flames also are expected to be without an important piece Saturday, although there is optimism that Connor Zary's left knee injury might not be as severe as it initially looked after a freak collision with Stars sharpshooter Mikko Rantanen.
However, with only 11 games left on the regular-season schedule, that doesn't necessarily mean that the 23-year-old Zary will be available down the stretch.
'Same as after a win, you move on right away,' Flames coach Ryan Huska said after his squad peppered the Stars with 48 shots on net. 'We don't have time to dwell on it. But I think what you'd like the team to recognize is most nights you play like that, you win those games.
'So we have to take a lot of the good that we did in tonight's game and make sure we bring that to the next game in Edmonton, and that's the most important thing.
'We deserved better tonight. We didn't get it, and it happens some nights … Our challenge is to make sure that our game in Edmonton mirrors this one, so we get ourselves back into the winning column again.'
The Flames and Oilers haven't faced off since early November. Their season series is so far split, with one apiece.
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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