'NEED GUYS TO BE GAME-BREAKERS'

On the surface, you can definitely sense the magnitude.
The cachet of the opportunity in front of him.
Dillon Dube was arguably the Flames' best player in Wednesday's wildly entertaining shootout loss to the Canucks, recording a pair of helpers, two shots, and a season-high 20:34 of ice time.
He's been moved to a new line for tonight's tilt, flanking centre Elias Lindholm and the sharp-shooting Tyler Toffoli.

So, why the switch with Jonathan Huberdeau?
The Flames need more consistent production on the left side, across all four lines, said the head coach.
"You're talking about the same position," Darryl Sutter said of the new trios, which will see Huberdeau move to play with Nazem Kadri and Andrew Mangiapane, and Milan Lucic get back in after sitting three as a healthy scratch.
"Add it up.
"Production."
Sutter, certainly, is never one to mince words. With his team currently embroiled in a four-game slide (0-1-3), the 'blame' rests mainly with the forward group, which hasn't scored at the pace many expected at the outset of the campaign. Evidence of that comes in many forms, but one of those intriguing stats of the season so far is that the Flames have been involved in a league-high 18 one-goal games.
But they've won only seven (7-5-6). So, what does that tell us about this version of the club?
"I think we're in every game," Sutter explained. "(But) I said the other night, dead-on, 100%, you need guys to be game-breakers.
"Guys to score the big goal."
Hence, we've arrived here, with the boss looking for a spark that could help push them over the edge.
"Lindy, a really good 200-foot player and (he) competes. And Toff can score," Dube said of the new-look unit. "It's an exciting line to play on, for sure, and I just want to bring my best for them. I want to be the one to help them out, and I want them to help me out as well. Hopefully we can put that together."

With how good Dube, Kadri and Mangiapane were on Wednesday - outshooting the Canucks 6-3 and earning a split of the regular- and high-danger chances - it almost feels counterintuitive to break up a line that was beginning to show those indistinguishable signs of chemistry.
But the fact is, the Flames need everyone going - and if this new concoction helps a game-breaker emerge, then the experiment was well worth it.
"It's good that we're in tight games and we're pushing it to overtime," Dube said. "I think once we get our bounces, get our goals and hold the leads that we need to, this will be a lot happier room (after) going through adversity and winning those tight 2-1, 3-2 games. It's important for us and once we get that, I think that will be a big step for our group.
"We know we're right there. I think it's got to be really motivating and our group feels that.
"It's exciting."
Huberdeau, meanwhile, will bring a different skill-set to the Kadri line, and he's eager to see how the mix will play out in game action.
"Obviously (Kadri) is a fast guy. He gets open," Huberdeau said. "I'll try to give him the puck as much as possible and try to get the offence going.
"I know they like to work the cycle game and try to get involved in that and we'll see how it's going to go, but I'm excited."

Despite how heavy a rough patch can feel, at times, it's good to see that positivity permeating the locker-room.
With a full slate of Western Conference opponents between now and the new year, the Flames have an excellent opportunity to gain ground and put themselves back in a playoff spot.
But there's that word again: 'Opportunity.'
At the end of the day, it doesn't mean squat unless you take full advantage of it.
"Once you get in a platoon situation where guys are in and out, then you have to have an identity and you have to prove it on a nightly basis," Sutter said of the line changes.
"Earn the opportunity, and then earn your opportunity to stay in the lineup."