'WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER NEXT GAME'

The dissatisfaction was as easy to spot as the dipping, flipping, pin-wheeling mouthguard jammed between bicuspids that's become an unwitting trademark.
"It was a bad effort after we got away with one in New York thanks to our goalie," grumbled Matthew Tkachuk in the belly of the Bell Centre late Tuesday evening following a 3-2 loss to the Habs.
"Tonight we could've returned the favour and played well. Hoping he plays well, too.
"If not, we bail him out.
"But, the opposite again."

Only 19, in his third showtime season - still the infancy of what will be a long, stellar NHL stay - Tkachuk showed once again why he's already a major component of the collective competitive consciousness of the Flames, why in spite of his tender years he's been presented with an associate captaincy.
Two assists Tuesday drew him up alongside Johnny Gaudreau for the team scoring lead, at 12 points.
Honest player.
Honest effort.
Honest assessment.
The happy-go-lucky Czech, David Rittich, certainly did his bit over the two stops, beginning at MSG in Manhattan 48 hours earlier, swatting aside 82 of 86 shots in two games.
And a split on any Eastern road swing - no matter how brief - can certainly never be considered the worst news imaginable.
What was gnawing away at Tkachuk, though, was the David-dependent manner in which the junket played out.
"We're taking long shifts," he critiqued. "Myself included.
"We're out there, getting tired and they just keep getting these chances. Eventually, they're going to go in. If we want to be a playoff team … you're probably gonna laugh, this being game whatever - but these are the games we've got to win.
"I think of plays (from) myself, not getting it deep and then having to get back and play in your zone when they have fresh guys out there.
"It wears on teams. It wore on us tonight."
The Flames flared to life in the final frame, seizing the initiative and scoring the lone goal, via Elias Lindholm.
But a case of too little, too late.

When asked the gist of coach Bill Peters' message during the second intermission, Tkachuk replied: "Just getting out-worked. Simple.
"He came in before the game and said: 'Let's out-work them tonight.' Then (between periods) he asked: 'Who's getting out-worked?'
"It was clearly us.
"We tried in the third but that's easy hockey, when they sit back. We've got to learn to play in those games - one-goal lead, our goalie bailing us out.
"Maybe we get one, maybe we don't, but let's at least play some offence. Let's play in their zone."
Compounding the frustration was the fact the players had held a meeting on their own following the 4-1 Rittich show in New York.
"We talked about how our efforts haven't been great recently and how our goalie's been bailing us out," he sighed.
"Kind of a similar thing tonight.
"That's the frustrating part."

Precious little time for self-examination, though.
Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins arrive for a Thursday evening date at the Scotiabank Saddledome followed by the Great 8, Alexander Ovechkin, and the reigning Stanley Cup champions from D.C. in a rare Saturday matinee.
"If we expect to play like that," warned Tkachuk, "we'll probably be blown out of the building by these teams coming in. So we've got to sharpen it up. Maybe home ice will change for it, maybe it won't.
"Mentally, it's about our effort levels. Some guys are going and those are the guys you feel bad for cause they lay it out there every shift.
"Gio's the lead man on that. Backs was working hard out front tonight. Ritter was unbelievable.
"That's where we've gotta reward them.
"We're going to be better next game, that's for sure."
A quick video-replay watch of Crosby's spectacular OT goal to slay the Oilers at Rogers Place should serve to further drive that point home.