| | The Detroit Red Wings visit Calgary on Tuesday night. And the game has significance for both squads.
Detroit may be the league's best overall team, but not on the road, where the Wings are a not-so-spectacular 9-8-3.
But for the Flames, Detroit's appearance in Calgary is a symbol. A symbol of a season completely turned around after one game. Against the Red Wings.
Going into a Nov. 19 home matchup against the Wings, the Flames were 5-12-2, and going nowhere. Coach Brian Sutter was at the top of every list of first coach to be fired, and attendance was not good at the Saddledome.
But the Flames won, 3-1, and have been 15-6-3-1 since, playing in front of several great crowds at home. Yes, they had a bad 7-1 loss to Colorado and a pair of 5-1 defeats at the hands of Dallas and Philadelphia. But for the most part, the Flames have gone from nowhere to the thick of the muddled Western Conference playoff race.
"Sure I heard all that," Sutter told the Calgary Sun of the early season rumors of his imminent firing. "I'm prepared for that all the time. Those things don't bother me. I don't change I my approach.
"When I go through those times, I dig down. I find ways to be better more than ever. That's why this team is so consistent."
It could be said that the Flames have been consistent this season. Consistently bad the first six weeks (5-12-2) and solid the past two months (15-6-3-1).
All not good with Osgood
| |  | | | Osgood |
If there's any weakness to be found on the Red Wings, it could be in net. Chris Osgood, who led them to the Cup title two years ago, has been shaky since returning from a broken hand.
In six games, he is 1-4-1 with a GAA over three. He has allowed 20 goals in the six games.
Overtime is Thomas' time
Leafs forward Steve Thomas continues to be a clutch goal scorer.
His overtime winner against Vancouver was the 11th OT winner of his career, which is an NHL record. Earlier this season, he surpassed Mario Lemieux's previous record of nine, and he continues to separate himself.
"It may be the most (dramatic) of the 11 I've scored," Thomas told the Toronto Sun. "Things haven't been going well for me lately, but this is awesome."
An interesting statistic with Thomas is that the Leafs have not won a game this season when Thomas hasn't scored.
Ottawa's Phillips close to returning
Ottawa may get defenseman Chris Phillips back later this week.
Phillips has been out over a month due to ankle surgery.
According to the Ottawa Sun, Phillips is questionable for Thursday against Philadelphia but probable for Sunday's tilt with Detroit at home.
"It feels 200 percent better than it did before I had the surgery," Phillips said. "To me, it's like a night and day difference."
Phillips missed significant time last season because of his ankle problem, and this season, he wasn't feeling much better. He played 28 games before having a procedure to remove cartilage that was pinching a nerve.
"There's no pain there anymore, and it feels strong. That's the good thing. I haven't felt this way in over a year. I'm just glad that I'll be back to help on the way to the playoffs. The timing was good." | |
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