Hot Talk: Flames on crash course with Jets

Craig Ellingson: Better late than never for a come-from-behind Calgary Flames victory in the third, eh?

Steve Macfarlane: It finally happened. And they talked about it in the locker-room, too. Better late than never I guess. But they may need to do that a few more times.

Craig: I would hope they would’ve talked about it in the locker-room before last night. I can’t imagine they would say much about what they talked about between the second and third in the past when they were down given the results were all losses up until now. I suppose they’re feeling the pressure even more now given they’re still alive and that there’s a chance they can get into the playoffs. You know, the whole heat from a deadline thing.

Steve: Now they need to make another first happen — the first four-game winning streak of the entire season. Hard to believe they hadn’t won even three straight since early December.

Craig: Anything is possible at this point. First come-from-behind win, now first four-game win streak. Why not? Entirely possible given the opposition coming up.

Steve: If the Flames play their best, I still think they can beat everyone left on their schedule. But they need more than Tyler Toffoli, Mikael Backlund and Jacob Markstrom to step up.

Craig: Even though they had to rally for the win last night, they certainly had many chances to score. Thatcher Demko was playing well in net for the Vancouver Canucks.

Steve: Demko was great, but Tyler Toffoli has scored all the clutch goals for the Flames this season. Career-high 32 and added 33 for good measure in OT. Can’t imagine where they’d be without him this year.

Craig: Without him, they would be close to the front of the line for the draft lottery, I reckon.

Steve: Did you say reckon? I reckon fans would have preferred that to missing the playoffs and having no chance at Connor Bedard. 

Craig: I would very much assume so. If they were in a lottery position now instead of fighting for a playoff spot, there’d be a day of reckoning for a few people on the Flames staff. So, what do you reckon will happen for the Flames over the last half-dozen games? I reckon a lot will depend on whether or not they beat Winnipeg next week and Nashville the week after.

Steve: We may be wreckin’ this chat. The Flames could technically be ahead of the Jets on points when they meet. If they can get there then beat them heads-up in regulation, it could be a death blow for Winnipeg.

Craig: I don’t expect the Flames to close out the season on a seven-game heater, though. But beating the Jets is the top priority. If they want to make the playoffs, that is. And I reckon they want to do that, natch.

Steve: The biggest must-win of the year.