Game Day: Flames in one-game-at-a-time mode as Golden Knights visit

Those Calgary Flames members tapped to speak to media before tonight's game against the visiting Vegas Golden Knights were all singing the same tune. 

One game at a time.

"It's a huge final 10 games here. The main thing is you've got to take everything one game at a time, one step at a time," Flames forward Milan Lucic said, adding the focus on games is having "good starts."

Nazem Kadri said much the same thing as did head coach Darryl Sutter, among other things.

And they're all correct in saying that, just like they and all of their teammates have countless times this season and over history. Because it's true, especially when they're chasing a playoff spot. The Flames can't start thinking ahead about 'what ifs?'

What if they lose tonight, then what? Are they out? No. Of course, a loss would make it harder to catch the Winnipeg Jets for a wildcard playoff spot.

What if they win? Of course, that helps.

But they're not relying on what they do as much as they're relying on what other teams do, mostly the Jets themselves. The more they lose, the better chance the Flames have to catch them. As long as Calgary keeps winning, of course.

That's just it: the Flames don't control their own destiny. I've typed that before this month. Last week, in fact. All they can do is focus on laying their best game.

Vegas will be a tough test, given the Golden Knights are in first place in the Pacific Division. They've had a good season, a bounce-back one. 

You may recall Vegas missed the postseason in 2021-22. In some ways, the Flames and the Golden Knights have switched places for 2022-23.

Projected Flames lineup

Forward

• Andrew Mangiapane – Elias Lindholm – Tyler Toffoli
• Jonathan Huberdeau – Mikael Backlund – Blake Coleman
• Nick Ritchie – Nazem Kadri – Dillon Dube
• Milan Lucic – Trevor Lewis – Walker Duehr

Defence

• Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
• Nikita Zadorov – MacKenzie Weegar
• Dennis Gilbert – Troy Stecher

Goal

• Jacob Markstrom

Projected Golden Knights lineup

Forward

• Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Jonathan Marchessault
• Reilly Smith – William Karlsson – Pavel Dorofeyev
• Chandler Stephenson – Nicolas Roy – Phil Kessel
• Brett Howden – Teddy Blueger – Mike Amadio

Defence

• Alec Martinez – Alex Pietrangelo
• Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
• Nicolas Hague – Zach Whitecloud

Goal

• Logan Thompson