'IT'S PAYING OFF'

NASHVILLE - It was a brief, but meaningful moment caught by the cameras.
With the team off to one side saluting the crowd after a big win Saturday, Dillon Dube and Milan Lucic were alone on the other.
Lucic, tugging his protégé in close and giving him great, big bear hug.
A shake or two.
And a passionate, motivational monologue.
"We were pumped," laughed Dube, who was the recipient of the Big Man's clutches. "It was a big win. We saw each other, chatted about the game a little bit, and he was building me up after a good night.
"It was awesome. I really appreciate the support he gives me and I try to give it right back. Just a great relationship we have and it means a lot to me."

"What's he got?" Lucic added. "Seven goals in the last 10, 11 games? Just happy for him and the success he's having.
"You can see the smile on his face."
We hear it ad nauseum - how every team, supposedly, has one of the "tightest" groups in hockey. A close-knit locker-room that will surely make the difference when 'experience' is called upon deep in the postseason.
But dating back to the 2019-20 season when Dube truly arrived on scene, Lucic has been No 29's biggest fan; a friendship between a young buck cutting his teeth, and Cup-winner that's been through the gauntlet many times over.
Lucic, 33, is at the stage in his career where his value goes beyond goals, points, and punishing hits. He's embracing his role as a leader and is a big reason why Dube has flourished this year, especially.
"You see the talent and everything that he can bring to a game and to a team, and all that type of stuff," Lucic said. "It's nice to see him heat up at the right time here. He's an important player for us and we're going to need him to continue to play well moving forward here."
Saturday was Dube's first two-goal game of the season, leading the Flames to a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The 23-year-old now has six goals in his last six games, and with three left before the playoffs, he already has a new career high with 16 tucks on the year.
"When you think about it, this is really my first full year in the NHL," Dube said. "First, COVID hit, and then last year, with no fans and a short season, it wasn't the same.
"And, honestly, pretty tough to get in a rhythm.
"Now, it's exciting. I'm having a lot of fun, I'm loving it. I think the start of the year, I was working on my game a lot to learn how to play the right way - to be playing good hockey at this time of year and build toward the playoffs. I think I've done that. I've built a ton of things in my game to become a better player, for sure, so I'm happy with the growth.
"It's been a really fun year with everything being back to normal and being around a great group of guys."

Quietly, Dube already re-kindled some of the big-game magic that made him a World Junior gold medallist in 2018.
And, more recently - in his first-ever trip to the postseason - he had four goals in 10 playoff games, including the series-winner against the Winnipeg Jets in the Bubble Edition two years ago.
Somehow, the internal clock always knows when talented players need to check in and have the biggest impact.
"I think so," Dube said when asked if he was built for playoff hockey. "But there's also the argument: 'Well, you play your ROLE really well, then the results will follow.'
"So, I have to be careful about stepping too far outside of that and setting unrealistic expectations.
"I don't want to be going out and trying to be a superstar. I know the role that I need to play and when our line really commits to that, that's when we're at our best, collectively.
"Obviously, when you're going like this, you feel really good about yourself and rightfully so. But our line is most effective when we stay committed to our role. We're chipping away, grinding away here, and we want to keep building our game heading into the playoffs."
Together, with newcomer and former Nashville Predator Calle Jarnkrok, along with back-to-back Cup winner Blake Coleman on his opposite flank, Dube is easily playing some of his best hockey of the season.

His underlying metrics paint a more complete (and impressive) picture of what the trio has accomplished.
During Dube's latest goal-scoring spree, that line accounts for a 60+% possession rate across the board - tops among forwards. As for scoring chances and high-danger looks? They're well clear of 50%, while supplying twice the number of goals (6-3) 5-on-5 than the opposition.
All year the Flames have talked about the need for more secondary scoring. Come playoffs, that 'need' is non-negotiable.
What they have now is a unit that can only chew meaningful minutes and make life tough on the opponent, but supply some much-needed offence and take some of the pressure off of the top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk.
"What can I say? The puck's going in the net for me right now," Dube said. "Honestly, throughout the year I think I've had chances to score but have had some tough puck luck. It's a good time to score and put a couple in feels good, but that's pretty much all I can say about for myself. My linemates have been playing great. Just look at the chances that have been created for me thanks to those guys.
"It's hard to take credit for it, because that's the truth about it. They're playing SO well right now.
"All three of us kind of play the same way and try to be connected throughout. Our game isn't too flashy, but we create a lot from hard work.
"And it's paying off right now."