Flames resorting to any means necessary to win
He was still perched on a shelf by the team’s whiteboard, spreading his energy-cleansing vibes over the Calgary Flames dressing room.
Jobu — the team’s good-luck charm and replica of the one used in the movie Major League — had helped them exorcise their demons at Anaheim’s Honda Center earlier this year and, ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, the coaching staff dusted off the voodoo-inspired figurine.
It worked in Anaheim as they snapped a 13-year streak of futility and it worked against the Oilers whom they hadn’t beaten in seven tries.
But Jobu may have to work a small miracle to help guide the Flames into the 2018 NHL postseason.
“Whatever works, man,” Flames forward Matt Stajan said. “He’s helped us, so we’re leaving him in here.”
It’s that time of the year, where the biggest game is the next game. For the Flames, the next one is against another Pacific Division
rival, the San Jose Sharks (38-239), who are sitting comfortably in second in the division with 85 points.
Calgary, on the heels of a 1-0 win over the Oilers, is still on the outside looking in at 35-26-10 and 80 points.
“Every detail in the game at this time of the year is that much more important because the games are so close,” Stajan said. “Every little play can be the difference between winning and losing and getting two points and not getting two points.
“That’s what we’ve talked about a lot here and that’s the focus and don’t look past it. If you do that, you’ll get the two points you need.”
The Flames wrap up a threegame homestand with another proverbial four-point contest, against a Sharks team that has won
two games in a row and continues to roll, despite various injuries plaguing their group.
“A huge game,” Stajan said. “It’ll be like that from (Friday’s game) until the end of the season. It’s playoff-mentality for us right now. We can’t take any games off and we need two points (Friday), and two points the game after that. We’ll get ready for (the Sharks) and go from there.”
The Flames are still without the services of left-winger Matthew Tkachuk, who has been dealing with what is suspected to be a concussion, while Sean Monahan is fighting some type of injury.
Their top centre took a maintenance day Thursday but is confirmed to play Friday.