"It's not the position we want to be in," said Mikael Backlund - a lifer in Calgary silks and a key piece of this Flames nucleus for the past 12 seasons. "There have been a lot of highs and lows in my time here, but I've seen this team in the past. The core guys, and a lot of guys in this room, I've seen go on some runs, winning whether it's 10 in a row overall or 10 in a row at home, I've seen it happen before and that's what we have to try and do here.
"At the same time, we have to take it game by game. I know it's a cliché and it's a boring answer, but that's how we have to approach this. We even break it down, shift-by-shift. If we want to stay in this, we can't start focusing too far on the future. We have to have a short memory and focus on the next shift, otherwise it's going to be too much for the mental side of the game. We've got to dial it down here and focus on the next shift, next period, and play with a ton of urgency.
"I'm at the point in my career, it's frustrating. I know we're a better team than we're showing. All I'm dreaming of is to win a Stanley Cup and it's not like I'm getting any younger, so you've got to take all the chances you can get.
"We definitely have not given up yet.
"We know there's still a chance for us to make the playoffs and that's the way I look at it."
The Flames are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets last night and are looking to snap a four-game slide in the return engagement tonight on Hockey Night in Canada.
They currently sit four points back of the Montreal Canadiens, who occupy the fourth and final playoff spot in the Scotia North Division.
The math says the Flames need to go 16-5-0, 16-4-1, or any combination of 32 or 33 points to put them within reach of the expected playoff cut line.
It's a tall task, but the Flames are focused on it.
There's an urgency to their game that we saw in the third period last night that the team is hoping will be there from puck drop tonight.
And that's how it starts.
Have one good shift - build on it.
Have one good period - built on that.
Instead of getting caught up in the mountainous long view, they need to keep the picture - and their attention - firmly on the present.
"It's been a frustrating season and at this point, we have nothing to lose," Backlund said. "I know people are starting to count us out, but we have not.
"We've got to go out and show that we can win a lot of games in a row."
The Flames want to get off on the right foot and dictate the game from the start.
The energy was there last night, but three, first-period penalties helped the visitors accrue an early, two-goal lead.
"We've got to play hard, play fast and play the right way," said Chris Tanev. "That doesn't involve taking penalties. You can have a good start, with good urgency, and not take penalties. I don't think that's something we're trying to avoid or we're not going to be scared about.
"But we can't just dip our toe in the water here. We need to take a leap and play the way we need to play."
