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  In the Flames dressing room there is a wall board that is update daily with the NHL standings.

   For most of this season the focus was on the NW Division standings where the Flames have moved from the bottom to the top with an 11-point lead after Friday’s 3-1 win over Nashville.

   More recently the standing-board focus has been on the Western Conference. Where once the Flames were as low as 7th they are now #3 closing in on #2 Detroit. The deficit is now 5 points behind the slumping Red Wings.

   Now the Flames’ standing board features the NHL’s overall standings. With 64 points the Flames are now tied with Washington for #5 overall.  They are 3 points behind #4 New Jersey.

  Mike Keenan keeps moving the bar on where he wants his skaters to be keeping the challenges high over the final 34 games of the regular-season.

   Friday’s win was the club’s 30th of the season in 48 games, drawing comparisions to the 1988-89 Flame squad that was #1 overall during the reg-campaign and won the Stanley Cup.  That team, coached by Terry Crisp, won its 30th game in the 47th contest on their way to a club record 54 triumphs.

   The Flames never trailed in downing the Predators in workmanlike fashion getting the winning goal from an unlikely source, Andre Roy.  The other marksmen were Matthew Lombardi and defenseman Adrien Aucoin.  Mike Cammalleri didn’t score but had one assist stretching his point streak to 8 games — a team season high.

   Again Miikka Kiprusoff made the clutch saves for his 30th win as well and was picked #1 star.

   Its been a while since the Flames have had such a dynamic scoring duo like Michael Cammalleri and Jarome Iginla.

   …And tonight the Flames’ Goal Dust Twins endeavor to keep it going against Nashville.

   It was Dec. 16 that Mike Keenan put the pair together for an extended period.

   …And what results. They’ve combined for 44 points in the 17 games during which the Flames have compiled a 12-3-2 record.

    Cammallari in the 17 games has scored 15 of his 25 goals and 24 of his 47 points.  Iginla, the RW, has scored 6 of his 19 goals but 14 of his 36 assists.  For the most part, Craig Conroy has been the centre between the two. Although, Matthew Lombardi and Daymond Lankgow have also taken turns with the duo.

   The Flames seek their 30th win of the season tonight in game 48, which if attained, would be the 2nd fastest in club history. The team won 30 times in 47 games in the Stanley Cup season of 1988-89.  Miikka Kiprusoff looks for his 30th win in just his 45th game.  In 2005-06 when he set a club record with 42 victories, his 30th win didn’t come until his 55th game.

   As well a triumph would move the Flames to within 5 points of Detroit for #2 in the Western Conference.

   As the season continues to roll along the maturation of this group of Flames continues.

   Entering Wednesday’s match against Buffalo, the Flames big focus was getting off to a good start. A noble desire considering the club had allowed the first goal in 5 previous games although they won 3 of them.  Part of rallies to win 7 of their last 11 games.

     When Mike Cammalleri scored a PPG 3:51 into the game the good start was achieved.  Then  Dion Phaneuf scored early in the 2nd period for a 2-0 advantage.

    Then things changed.  The Sabres notched 2 goals late in the 2nd to even the match with the second goal coming in the final minutes. Often a back breaking goal to give up.

    The Flames were undaunted by the turn of events.  The stayed with the game plan and with coach Mike Keenan shortening the bench, the Flames dominated the 3rd period scoring the only 3 goals to nab the 5-2 victory.

   Again it was Cammalleri lighting the offensive power adding 2 goals in the third to notch his second “hat trick” of the season.  The hot shooting LW now has scored 11 goals in the last 7 games and his 7-game point streak tying the longest by a Flame this season. 

   For the second straight game it was Todd Bertuzzi scoring the game winner. It was in a shootout a week ago. This time with a pretty marker at 7:08 of the 3rd.

   Tonight is Military Night at the Saddledome as honored military personel march to seats provided for them, while the Flames plan is to keep in step.

   The Flames pre-All-Star break performance was good enough to gain them a 9-point lead at the top of the NW Division standings.  If the Flames keep the same pace over their final 37 games they’ll nab their second NW pennant in four years.  When the Flames finished first in 2005-06, they were 7 points ahead at the all-star stoppage. Ever since the team leading the NW at the break finished on top.

   Michael Cammallerri likely wanted to keep right on going after the game last Wednesday against Columbus.  The LW had notched points in 6-straight games (8-2=10) for his hottest run of the season. He also takes a 3-game goal streak into the contest against the Buffalo Sabres. He has 5 goals in the 3 games.

   Cammalleri’s linemate, Jarome Iginla, has points and assists in his last 4 games and also scored his first ever goal in All-Star competition on Sunday.

   The Sabres were very sharp Tuesday night in Edmonton drilling the Oilers, 10-2, setting a club record for goals in a single game on the road.  From a Flame perspective, you hope they used up all their goals against the Oilers.

   Many Flame players have plans for after Wednesday’s game but they have business to take care of first.

   The Flames haven’t lost 3-straight games all season and need to avoid that with a win over Columbus before heading out on their All-Star break.

   Neither Miikka Kiprusoff or Steve Mason are going to Montreal this weekend but both have authored all-star performances this season.

   Tonight will be the first time the veteran Kiprusoff and the rookie Mason have opposed each other.  When the ‘Jackets won 3-1 on Nov. 8 in Columbus, Curtis McEllhinney was the netminder against Mason.

   Kipper and Mason enter the game at the top of the NHL’s 4 important statistical categories for goalkeepers.

   The 20-year-old Mason has played 13 fewer games than Kiprusoff but has the league’s best goals against average, leads in shutouts with 6 and is #2 in save percentage.  Kiprusoff is at the top of the important win column with 27.

   After tonight the Flames won’t re-convene until next Monday. Many are heading out of town for the respite. They’d go in a better mood with a win.

Flame followers, who began the weekend contemplating about putting their heros into the “Elite team” category, can hold that thought.

Elite NHL teams don’t have a weekend like the Flames just experienced.

After beating the Sharks in San Jose on Thursday, 3-2, the Flames did send positive vibes about elevating their status.

Back-to-back losses to a couple teams considered to be a notch below was definitely a mis-step.

One setback would be palitable, not 2.

Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to Phoenix was a case of the Coyotes Illya Brysgalov  outdueling Miikka Kiprusoff, who his first night in quite a while.

Sunday’s 6-2 drubbing in Colorado was a poor effort in front of rookie goalie Curtis McElhinney especially the first period when the Flames were outshot, 20-8.  McElhinney was unbeatable until late in the period before the Avs got a SHG and a PPG in 1:55.

McElhinney must wonder about this backup thing.

In his 5 starts over the last 2 years he has yet to win. He’s averaged 35 shots when the team average is 27. His ‘mates have scored just 8 goals in the 5 matches.

   Lately the Flames have had their games well spaced.

   That won’t be the case this weekend as Mike Keenan’s crew faces another challenge.

   After the huge triumph in San Jose on Thursday, the club immediately returned home and Friday, as a group, attended the funeral service celebrating the life of one of their owners. It was a very touching service reflecting on the life of Darryl (Doc) Seaman, who passed away last Sunday at the age of 86.  A great Calgarian, who was the key mover for getting an NHL team in the city and making sure it remained.

    Saturday night the Flames are back on Saddlkedome ice against the surprising Phoenix Coyotes. Wayne Gretzky has his young squad in a tie for 5th place in the Western Conference despite growing financial issues. Its a late game starting at 8 pm.

   The game will barely be over when the team will rush to the Calgary Airport, clear custom and immigration plus security before taking the 2-hour flight to Denver.  It will be an early am arrival at the downtown hotel, which is a 30-40 minute drive from the airport.

   Sunday its an early 6pm game against the Colorado Avalanche.

   How coach Keenan handles the goaltending assignments merits watching. Miikka Kiprusoff was brilliant in SJ starting his 14th straight game and 41st of 43 games.  The past two starting breaks he got were after he’d played 14-straight and 13-in-a-row.

   Keenan may elect to go with him in both games this weekend since the team doesn’t play again until Wednesday before hitting the 6-day All-Star break.  But given travel and short time-frame between games, he may give rookie Curtis McElhinney a start in one of them. Perhaps in Colorado since the Calgary minor hockey product has not started a home game in his career.

   One thing for sure, regardless of who plays and the outcome, the Flames will still be in first place in the NW Division.

San Jose is becoming  monumental for the Flames, now finally a positive.

If last April’s game 7 loss in SJ was the low point of the 2007-08 season, and Nov. 13 a bottoming out of this one, then Thursday was a coming of age for Mike Keenan’s crew.

In as good a game as you’ll see, the Flames beat the NHL’s best team in their own Sharktank where the Sharks had gone 33 games without losing in regulation.

…And this in a game where Sharks were trying redeem themselves for a 5-2 loss at Calgary 10 days ago.

Both teams entered the game stressing strong starts. Thus, when the Flames fell behind, 1-0 a mere minute into the game, one couldn’t help but wonder if this would be another wipeout.

If it had happen before Nov. 13 and even last year, its likely the game would have ended right there.

But resilience is the middle name it seems for this Flame squad.

Thursday was the 14th time the Flames rallied to get points in a game.

In the end, Dion Phaneuf scored the GWG with 3:56 remaining with a shot from the point. A great time to end his 25-goal famine.

The Flames lead is now 9 points over Vancouver at the top of the NW Division with 3 games in hand.

Keenan now has his club’s sights on moving higher in the West. The Flames are 8pt behind Detroit and 11 in arrears of the Sharks.

    SAN JOSE — The Flames weren’t at their best when they ventured to this Northern California city on November 13 and it showed.  They were hammered, 6-1.

    Last Tuesday when the Sharks were at the Saddledome, they weren’t at their best and it showed.  The Flames won, 5-2.

    Now round 3 in the regular-season series featuring two of the NHL’s best teams over the past month-and-a-half with both needing to be at their best in the Sharktank.

   Both have something to prove given the results of the earlier confrontations. Perhaps the Flames more so than the Sharks.

   Since that thrashing two months and two days ago, the Flames have compiled a 17-4-3 record claiming a 7-point lead at the top of the NW Division standings.  The Sharks are 18-2-3 since continuing to be #1 in the league overall.

   The Sharks have been virtually unbeatable at home. In their first 22 games of this season are 20-0-2 here. Extending back to last season its 33-straight regular-season games at home in which they’ve collected points.  The NHL record is 37.  The Flames would like nothing better than to spoil that notion.

   Todd Bertuzzi last played in that game last Tuesday and will miss a third straight game here. He’s listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury. 

   Its a conception that the NHL’s Western Conference is superior to the East.

   Based on the league’s 2nd Quarter showings, three East teams are challenging for overall superiority.

   While West elite squads San Jose and Detroit dominated the 1st Quarter, the Boston Bruins, despite some key injuries, were by far the league’s most imporoved and best team in the second set of 20 games.

    The Flames also made some big gains in their second quarter before starting their second Half Tuesday hosting St. Louis.

   But not even close to the Bruins.  Claude Julien’s team collected 38 points in the 2nd quarter to challenge the Sharks and Red Wings for #1 overall where they are one point behind SJ and three up on Detroit.

   In the 2nd quarter standing, the Bruins led with their 38pt. Washington was 2nd with 34, the Sharks 3rd with 33, Detroit had 32 and the Flames 5th with 31 tied with Philadelpia.

  The Bruins were the most improved in the 2nd quarter when compared to the first quarter with a +14. Florida Panthers were next at +10, Washington was +9 and the Flames +8.

   In the end, it what’s taken together overall that determines  ultimate success. Right now, I’d assess that 7 teams are capable of winning the Stanley Cup.  That includes the Flames.