If the Calgary Flames need to learn the meaning of one word, it's consistency. In the frantic push to make it into the playoffs, the Flames have neither been hot nor cold. They have won 6 of their last 10 games this month, reaping their victories against teams that have been doing very well in the league to date. They faced off against the Minnesota Wild 3 times, and lost to them twice. For a team who emphasizes the importance of making the playoffs, it doesn't seem like they are seeing any results.
Granted, they are playing much better than they were prior to the Olympic break. At first, it was arguably the newly-acquired players who seemed to be injecting new life into the tired team, with Matt Stajan and Niklas Hagman leading the pack. Jamal Mayers and Ian White also got into the scoring action, justifying to Calgary fans that Brent Sutter made the right decisions in trading for them.
But in a time when winning is absolutely crucial, the Flames are not seeing much of it.
Currently they trail the Detroit Red Wings by 2, with 81 points. It's clear that the Red Wings have recognized their fragile position in playoff standings, and have stepped up their game, scooping up a big win at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Against the Anaheim Ducks tonight, the Flames will continue their attempt to catch up to Detroit. Technically, it shouldn't be hard: the Ducks are 7 points behind the Flames and are sitting at 11th in the league.
Unfortunately, for a team who has lately been known for giving up substantial leads, skating fast and playing hard are the only ways this flame is going to keep on burning.
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