FLYERS WAITING IN THE WINGS

The Calgary Flames arrive home after a one- off to Denver in which they fell behind 3- 1, came back to tie the action 3- 3 in the third period but eventually fell 6- 3 to Jarome Iginla and the Colorado Avalanche. The troubles continue. At least they are b

1. CONCERN FOR CONNOR

While candlelight vigils were happening everywhere in northern Alberta for Connor McDavid, the Calgary Flames were also disappointed to hear the news on Wednesday. While killing a penalty in the Philadelphia Flyers end on Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers rookie broke his clavicle and will be sidelined for a few months. “That’s a tough loss for the Oilers,” Flames coach Bob Hartley said. “Unfortunately, we all go through key injuries. It’s a sad part of our game.” For Sam Bennett, who grew up with McDavid and played against/ with him for most of his minor/ junior hockey career, he can empathize, going through months of rehabilitation after undergoing shoulder surgery at the beginning of last season. “Really disappointing after the start he’s had to the season,” Bennett said. “I can say I know exactly what he’s going through.”

2. SUPER SAM

The bright spot among the Flames’ struggles has been the play of C Sam Bennett. The 19- year- old continues to improve and, with a goal and an assist on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche, he was Calgary’s best player on the ice. After earning only one assist in the first eight games of season, Bennett has two goals and four assists in the last four games. “It’s quite a job for a 19- year- old kid to play centre in the NHL,” noted Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “So, he’s going to learn from his mistakes ... we did that same commitment with Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.” However, it’s tough to compare Bennett with Gaudreau, despite similar career paths. “Johnny is more about puck handling, passing skills, and finesse,” Hartley said. “Sammy is more rugged and kicks you on the kneecap on the way by. He’s a tank ... two totally different players.”

3. ABOUT THE FLYERS

Backup netminder Michal Neuvirth made 45 saves in a 4- 2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at Rexall Place. The Flyers were badly outshot ( 49- 22) and had a difficult evening defensively. It was their fifth- straight loss. It was also the 12th straight game they’ve allowed 30 shots or more. Wayne Simmonds had his take on how the Flyers could bring the shot number down. “Don’t turn the puck over and get the pucks deep,” he told the Philadelphia Daily News. “You turn the pucks over in the neutral zone or at the blue ( line), they’re going to turn around and shove it up your ( butt)." ... Added former Calgary Hitmen Ryan White: “Right now we’re winning battles and almost handing it right back to them, and we’re in our own zone again,” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to get it together here and figure out what we need to do better ..." Sound familiar?

4. WHEN LAST THEY MET

The Flames- Flyers 2014- 15 season series was saved until the end — two games in the same month. The first meeting was on March 3 during a monster seven- game road trip while the Tim Hortons Brier moved into the Saddledome. The stop was Calgary’s fourth, the midway point of the trip which proved memorable with Mark Giordano’s biceps tear happening, Curtis Glencross’s departure and the 2015 trade deadline. Karri Ramo booted out 35 pucks in a 3- 2 overtime win. He also stopped six shots on Claude Giroux. “Rams is the story of our past two weeks,” Flames head coach Bob Hartley said at the time. “He’s our best player.” Jiri Hudler buried the game winner while Deryk Engelland played alongside TJ Brodie, racking up 22: 49 of ice time. They allowed that up with a 4- 1 stomping of the lifeless Flyers on March 19 at home.

5. ODDS ' N' ENDS

The Flames are losers of five of their past six games ... Calgary LW Johnny Gaudreau, the pride of Gloucester Catholic High, is set to face the team he grew up cheering for ... On Tuesday, the Flyers were outshot by the Oilers 19- 2 in the first period ... Thursday is the fourth of a five- game road trip for the Flyers who’ll finish off in Winnipeg on Saturday ... Rexall Place, by the way, was home to three of the Flyers’ worst losses in franchise history. They lost two Stanley Cups ( 1985 and 1987) and, also, Wayne Gretzky scored four of five goals on Flyers goalie Pete Peeters the night he hit 50 goals in 39 games in 1981 ... The Flyers recalled D Davis Drewiske from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after the team sent Evgeny Medvedev back to Philadelphia for evaluation on an upper body injury.