'FUN COMING TO THE RINK'

There was plenty of buzz heading into Vancouver on Friday night.
Collectively, as a group, to pick up a two crucial points - but also on a personal level for former Canuck Troy Stecher.
Sure, it's been a few years since he played at Rogers Arena on a nightly basis, but for the Richmond product, it's always special.

"It's my hometown, it's fun to play in front of (friends and family)," he said. "Same place I started my career, so it's always nice to play against some former teammates. One of my best friends is Brock Boeser, so it's always fun playing against him.
"I don't want to say there was extra motivation - it was another game - but personally, it does means a little more sometimes."
How fitting it was, then, that in the rink he played so many games that he recorded his 100th career point, assisting on Blake Coleman's second-period marker.
He also added a goal of his own, jumping up in the play and beating Thatcher Demko, and now has five points in 14 games since being acquired by the Flames at the NHL Trade Deadline.
"It was cool to do it in front of friends and family, I knew I was coming up on 100 points, so to get it there means a lot," Stecher said of the milestone. "Like I've said since Day 1 since I got here, I'm just trying to help this team win. Just provide the best minutes that I can given the opportunity I'm given.
"This time of year, you're so focused on making playoffs, so you kinda put your individual goals to the side. The most important thing is that we won."
Stecher has fit in the Flames lineup like a glove, slotting in on the third defensive pairing and providing valuable minutes with his steady, hard-working play.
Of course, coming to a team which has a handful of players that he already knew helped make the transition seamless.
"It's been an easy one, I spent a lot of time in Calgary throughout my life. My grandparents lived here and I spent a lot of Christmases on the ODR," he said. "I had some familiarity which helped, and knowing a lot of guys in the locker-room has helped the transition. A little different than last year when I went to LA and didn't know anybody, so it's been smooth, I've really enjoyed it. It's a beautiful city.
"Chris Tanev is one of my best friends, so we text all the time. Now, to be back on the same team is really exciting for not only me, but for my girlfriend (Emma) and Tanny's wife, Kendra, for them to reconnect. I actually stayed at Toff's place in LA last year when I got traded so I stayed in contact with him. I train with Looch in the summer, so it's obviously good to be on those guys' team. I was joking with Looch that I don't have to be scared of him running me into the end boards anymore - he can do it for me."
And just to provide an update on the question on everyone's mind - yes, Phoebe Stecher indeed has made it to Calgary.
"I take her for a mile walk in the morning, a mile walk at night," he said. "My girlfriend takes her when I'm at practice or during games. She's a Bernese Mountain Dog so she loves the outdoors, loves the snow. I think she was definitely happy to come her and leaving Arizona and the heat.
"She back flops, does the back rub (in the snow). I don't have any kids, so she's kinda my baby and I'm sure it's the same feeling when guys come home from a road trip seeing their kids. For me, it's seeing my dog. It's really nice having her here with me."
While there's been time to enjoy all the dog parks and in Phoebe's case - the snow that was lacking in Arizona - Stecher has been dialled in, doing his part to help in the Flames playoff push.
And with six games left on the schedule, things may very well go down to the wire.
"You can't look too far ahead," Stecher said. You have to focus on the day that are living. Today (yesterday) we had a light skate where guys, more than anything, it's to make sure guys are sharp. You definitely scoreboard watch at times, Nashville was up on St. Louis and they are chasing us, so it's a dogfight. It's going to be a dogfight to the end and we're right in the fight.
"Obviously, you would want to clinch a spot already but at the end of the day as a hockey player, you want to have the opportunity to make the playoffs and that's exactly where we are. I think guys are definitely motivated and it's a lot of fun coming to the rink every day."