LOCALS IN HOME STRETCH
As difficult as it is to believe, only five dates — three on the road — remain on the Flames’ schedule. Career years continue to stack up for the skaters as the unheralded group from Calgary resumes its unlikely march toward the post- season. Biggest game
1. HAVING A CAREER JIRI
The high- water season of LW Jiri Hudler’s work in the NHL had been 2008- 09. While with the Detroit Red Wings, he collected 23 goals, 34 assists, 57 points. Now, at the age of 31, Hudler is busily rewriting his personal bests — 29 goals, 42 assists, 71 points — with more games to go … March, of course, had been particularly bountiful for Hudler — 23 points in 15 contests, which, according to Elias, is the most points in a month for a Flames player since RW Jarome Iginla accumulated 26 in December 2006 … With five points in his last two outings, he woke up Wednesday with only six players ahead of him on the NHL points parade. In fact, he had been only eight points shy of front- runner Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby … With 55 even- strength points, Hudler leads the league … He’s also fourth with 27 own division points.
2. ABOUT THE BLUES
Since schooling the Flames a couple of weeks ago ( more on that later), the Blues are only 1- 3- 2, including Monday’s 4- 1 desultory loss to the Vancouver Canucks — on home ice yet. Despite having had a chance to clinch a playoff spot, St. Louis never asserted itself. “It’s hard to say ( what’s wrong), there’s so many things,” said D Zbynek Michalek. “I don’t think there’s one good thing about our game right now. We need to look in the mirror. This time of the season you want to build your game and play a good game so you get your confidence going into the playoffs. Right now we’re doing the exact opposite.” … Or as coach Ken Hitchcock put it: “We’ve been indecisive with the puck. We’ve been slow in our head.” … The Blues have failed to score in the first period in 10 straight outings.
3. WHEN LAST THEY MET
In the last 10 meetings, the Flames are 2- 8- 0 against the Blues, a stretch that includes three straight defeats. And the Calgarians have dropped five straight in Missouri … Most recent meeting, March 17 at the Saddledome, was a one- sided 4- 0 paddling in favour of the guests. This assessment, courtesy of coach Ken Hitchcock, was bang on: “They got after us a little bit, for about two minutes, in the second period. Other than that, we kept them in their own zone, probably more than they wanted.’’ … Flames’ averages — six- feet, 193 pounds, 27.4 years old … Blues’ averages — six- one, 205 pounds, 28.7 years old … The Blues are 24- 11- 2 at home … The Flames are 21- 15- 2 on the road … Calgary and St. Louis are Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, in offence … Defensively, the Blues are ninth … They own the fourth- best power play.
4. SHOT- BLOCKING
It’s a topic that folks like to bring up — when you don’t have the puck, you tend to have more opportunities to block shots. Of the top NHL squads in this category, five out of 10 are not in playoff positions … Nevertheless, the Flames are leading the league with 1,462 shot blocks … D Kris Russell is tops, individually, with 272 — 65 more than the next skater … Monday in Dallas, LW Johnny Gaudreau kept his catalogues in front of a third- period point blast, the 25th blocked shot of his rookie season. “That’s the culture of this hockey club,” said coach Bob Hartley, whose club blocked 32 pucks against the Stars. “Whoever you are, you don’t pick and choose your jobs. You have to get dirty, no matter what. Johnny was in that shooting lane and that’s a huge block. If he doesn’t block it, the puck very well may be in the net.”
5. C- NOTES
The Flames’ chances of making the playoffs are now 87.8 per cent, according to Sportsclubstats.com … G Jonas Hiller ( 23- 18- 4, 2.44 GAA, .914) gets the nod. G Jake Allen ( 19- 6- 4, 2.45 GAA, .906) starts for the Blues … April 1 was the two- year anniversary of D Jay Bouwmeester’s trade to St. Louis — for G Reto Berra ( parlayed into second- rounder RW Hunter Smith), D Mark Cundari, 2013 first- rounder ( RW Emile Poirier) … Ken Hitchcock, 63, wants to stay at the helm of the Blues. “Whatever happens, all I know is I want to coach,” Hitchcock told the St. Louis Post- Dispatch. “There were times in November and December where I thought, ‘ This is a struggle.’ That ended in January. It’s been off and running since … when you see what this team can do, it’s invigorating.” … LW Johnny Gaudreau is the NHL’s rookie of the month for March.