GDT #68: Blues @ Flames | 9:00 pm CT | BSMW, 101 ESPN

[theohall]

Having dropped two straight games for the first time since mid-January, the Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames head into their Saturday home clash against the St. Louis Blues looking for a spark.

A possible prelude to the intensity the Flames (40-18-9, 89 points) expect for the clash may have emerged in Friday's practice. Veterans Blake Coleman and Erik Gudbranson got into a heated battle that required teammates to separate them.

Such scenes are more common over the course of a season than people expect, but to the Flames, it was a sign of players amping up their emotions before facing the Blues (37-20-10, 84 points).

"It's good," Calgary coach Darryl Sutter said. "It's a contact sport. We need some more guys like that. Those two guys that were banging each other around? Those are two bangers, right? We need some of them guys that are pillow-fighting to do a little bit of that."

The Flames, who have a five-point lead on the second-place Los Angeles Kings and six-point edge on the third-place Edmonton Oilers in the division standings, expect better of themselves following their latest outing.

En route to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Kings on Thursday, the Flames were guilty of a slow start. They allowed the visitors -- who played the night before -- to dictate the pace of play, and then Calgary relinquished a third-period lead.

It was completely off script from the game plan. Coleman, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, and a rugged veteran such as Gudbranson elevating their battle level in practice is a lesson to the rest of the team.

"You practice like you play," said Flames forward Milan Lucic, who noted his team's pace of play had fallen the past couple of games. "So, if you're intense in practice, you're intense in games. The good teams have that. The main thing is just bring that same intensity (Saturday)."

The Blues arrive after having a modest two-game winning streak end in a wild 6-5 overtime loss to the host Edmonton Oilers on Friday. St. Louis trailed 4-1 before the 14-minute mark before clawing back to force overtime, using a pair of third-period goals to complete the comeback.

Looking at the glass as being half-full, St. Louis gained a much-needed point. But seeing things from a half-empty perspective, surrendering four goals in the opening period is a big problem for a team that has surrendered the first goal in seven of the past eight contests.

Blues coach Craig Berube said in no uncertain terms he expects slumping goalie Jordan Binnington to find his game.

"We need saves," Berube said when asked what went wrong in the opening frame.

The plan was for Binnington to play in Edmonton and Ville Husso to face the Flames. However, Husso came on in relief for the last two-plus periods against the Oilers and may be forced to play again despite being the more fatigued netminder.

Staying with the theme of how things look depending on your perspective, the Blues are on a three-game point streak (2-0-1) but have only three wins in their last nine games (3-3-3).

St. Louis is in danger of falling into the Western Conference wild-card playoff battle. The Blues currently sit third in the Central Division, but the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars have made up ground the last few weeks.

The veteran-filled Blues are trying to remain positive.

"Not the start we wanted ... it was a good job fighting back," defenseman Colton Parayko said of the Friday defeat. "It's good point to get after being down 4-1."

[theohall]

No idea whose going to start in net tonight. Not expecting a win either, especially with the Flames having just lost two in a row. The Blues can win if they can keep the puck in the Flames end, like they did for 2 periods vs the Oilers, but Blues defensive zone coverage, largely due to ill-conceived backhand passes becoming turnovers, is a major area of concern against a Flames team who excels at getting to the slot and getting shots on goal from there. We'll see if the Blues rise to the challenge, which they did in the 2nd half of the home-in-home back in January.

[ibldbl]

Starting to think the Blues have some serious issues in the locker room. Why do they play so completely lazy and crappy in front of Binnington, but they play so much better with Husso in net. Last night was such a joke. Absolutely no effort from forwards or defense when Binnington was in, but Husso in and they are world beaters. What is the deal?

[theohall]

Calgary outplayed the Blues most of this game. Blues did just enough to win. Husso also made the saves when the Blues made mistakes. Binnington isn't making those saves. Berube called out Binnington in the presser after the Oilers game saying he needs to make some of those saves.

1st period, the Blues had 5 good shifts and scored on 2 of them. Flames dominated possession in the 2nd, yet only the Blues scored. 3rd was played much more evenly and the Blues held on. Without having that lead in the 3rd, this game could easily have gone the Flames way.

Glad I was wrong and the Blues won.

[theohall]

From the post-game presser after the Oilers loss

Coach Craig Berube didn’t have a lot to say after the game, but made it crystal clear he was not happy with Binnngton, who was pulled from the game with 6½ minutes left in the opening period after allowing his fourth goal on 13 shots.

When asked to explain what went wrong in that 4-1 first period, Berube replied: “We need saves.”

Obviously, it's the job of goalies to make saves. After a pregnant pause, Berube was asked if there was anything else to the first period.

“No. Nothing. That was it,” he replied.

When asked how Binnington gets his confidence back, Berube replied: “I don’t know. Play better. I mean, you gotta play better. I don’t know — that’s a tough question.”

Berube conceded that there were mistakes made by the team’s defensemen and forwards, but added: “Mistakes happen in games.”

And you gotta make saves, no matter what.

“Yes,” Berube replied.

[glen a richter]

I’ll continue to say it, Binner is a hot mess and the team is a hot mess when he’s in. Husso may not be the answer but he’s certainly more of an answer than 50. Thanks for the Cup but it’s what have you done for me lately and the Cup was quite a while ago.