Flames return home to face Avs
CALGARY, Alberta -- The Calgary Flames took a step closer to locking down an NHL playoff berth with a 3-2 overtime win in St. Louis over the Blues on Saturday.
Following three straight road games against teams that are also currently in playoff spots, the Flames (42-29-4) return home to face the lowly Colorado Avalanche (20-51-3) on Monday.
Calgary lost at Washington and at Nashville before winning in St. Louis.
"It was a tough trip," said goalie Brian Elliott, who made 29 saves to backstop the Flames to victory over his former team. "Getting this was big for us. Every game's going to be big, but one at a time and this one was one of them."
The Flames will play their next four games at home at the Scotiabank Saddledome before finishing the season with three straight outings on the road.
"We've started a little bit of a different chant in our locker-room as far as what we're looking for moving forward," said Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan, whose team currently sits in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. "Good teams don't need any help to get into the playoffs. They find a way to get in themselves.
"I thought our guys really did a good job of pushing (on Saturday) and moving us a step forward to getting a spot."
To lock down that spot, Calgary really only has to worry about fending off the Los Angeles Kings, who are 11 points behind the Flames with just eight games remaining on their schedule to close that gap.
"We've got to do things ourselves," Gulutzan stressed. "We've got things in our own hands with who we play coming up and at home. We're going to scratch and claw here to move ourselves into a spot."
Meanwhile, all the Avalanche has left to play for is pride.
"A lot of guys are playing for jobs next year," defenseman Erik Johnson told the team website. "So no matter what situation we're in as far as the playoffs, you still have to play hard and play for the logo and do the best that you can because you're in the NHL. A lot of guys would be killing for the position we're in."
Colorado coach Jared Bednar has been doing what he can to keep his players motivated, despite the fact that the Avalanche is guaranteed to finish last overall in the 30-team league.
"We're working toward something," Bednar said. "It's not just necessarily this season. It's beyond that. We've got some young guys in the lineup that have come up and done a really nice job for us. It's growth for them, and it's trying to find some chemistry with some of the guys that we know are coming back. Keep working with them and teaching them and hopefully improving a little bit before the end of the season. There's not much time left, but we have to make some improvements every day."
The Avs dropped a 4-1 decision in Edmonton to the Oilers on Saturday for their eighth straight road loss. Colorado also has the NHL's worst record of 8-39-3 when giving up the game's first goal.
"We have to be ready to play and play well and play for 60 minutes," Bednar said. "It doesn't hurt our team, that's for sure, to be playing hungry teams. Every game is a challenge for us, but we need to find ways to work through them and secure some points and see some growth in our team."