CALGARY -- The Dallas Stars will be without veteran winger Radek Dvorak as the club enters the back-end of a home-and-home series with the Calgary Flames.
 
Dvorak, who missed three games in early March before returning for three, is battling ankle issues that will keep him out of the contest.
 
"What a warrior," coach Glen Gulutzan said. "Seventeen years in this League and getting shot up every night in the ankle to get through. He had some aggravation in the last game, so if we sit him here, that's four days."
 
Dvorak could return to the lineup as quickly as Wednesday in Edmonton, Gulutzan said.
 
"Maybe he can be ready for Edmonton," he said. "If not, we can go another two more and get a healthier player. Sixty-five percent when you have healthy bodies, it's easier to put a guy in that’s 100 and try to get Devo to 80."

Either Tom Wandell or Ryan Garbutt will draw into the lineup in Dvorak's absence.

Gulutzan is pleased with the impression Dvorak has left on his team.
 
"He's showing these guys what it takes to be a pro in the NHL," Gulutzan said. "I can't say enough about Dvorak. We have a young Czech kid, Tomas Vincour, who has matured probably five years from just the six months he spent with Devo. What a pro. He's done everything you want of a veteran guy for mentorship for young players. He's an invaluable guy for our locker room."
 
Dvorak isn't the only player who may make an appearance against the Oilers.
 
The Stars could also have college signing Reilly Smith on the ice as soon as Edmonton as well. Dallas signed the 20-year-old Sunday.
 
"He's got to do immigration, so I don't know how long that takes," Gulutzan said. "(Edmonton) is a possibility depending on how we're playing. Right now, the focus is on the group, not any individual. We want to make sure if we put him in, it's the right time and place to do it."
 
Smith, who is with the team in Calgary, had 30 goals and 48 points in 39 games with Miami University (Ohio) this season and was originally selected by the Stars in the third round (No. 69) in 2009.

Here's the projected lineup for the Stars:

Loui Eriksson - Mike Ribeiro - Michael Ryder
Brenden Morrow - Jamie Benn - Steve Ott
Eric Nystrom - Vernon Fiddler - Tom Wandell/Ryan Garbutt
Jake Dowell - Tom Wandell - Adam Burish
 
Sheldon Souray - Stephane Robidas
Trevor Daley - Adam Pardy
Philip Larsen - Alex Goligoski
 
Kari Lehtonen
Richard Bachman

CALGARY -- In a game that will rival playoff intensity, the Calgary Flames will be missing one of their most battle-tested blueliners.
 
The Flames will not have veteran defenseman Cory Sarich in the lineup for the game. He has missed the last two games after suffering an upper-body injury in a big collision with David Jones of the Colorado Avalanche.
 
"He's not available for us tonight," coach Brent Sutter confirmed after Calgary's morning skate.
 
Tim Jackman on the other hand, is.
 
Jackman, a healthy scratch for Calgary's Saturday afternoon tilt against the Stars, is ready to go in what is certain to be a playoff atmosphere with the Flames clinging to their playoff hopes.

"I'm not 100 percent sure yet," Jackman said. "We'll wait and see."
 
The rugged winger is hoping to be a part of the festivities after missing the first half of the home-and-home series.
 
"Obviously I wanted to be in there in that game," Jackman said. "You can tell it was going to be an intense game. Tonight will be the same way."
 
The Flames do expect Olli Jokinen to be in the lineup tonight. Jokinen was noticeably absent from the team's morning skate.
 
"It's a maintenance morning for him," Sutter said. "We just wanted him to be ready for tonight."
 
Jokinen is second on the Flames in scoring with 58 points, but has been held scoreless in his last seven games.
 
Here is the projected lineup for the Flames:

Alex Tanguay - Michael Cammalleri - Jarome Iginla
Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - David Moss
Blake Comeau - Matt Stajan - Lee Stempniak
Tim Jackman - Blair Jones - Tom Kostopoulos
 
Chris Butler - Jay Bouwmeester
Mark Giordano - Scott Hannan
Clay Wilson - Anton Babchuk
 
Miikka Kiprusoff
Henrik Karlsson

CALGARY – Though their playoff hopes are dashed, the Columbus Blue Jackets can put a dent in the postseason aspirations of another team Sunday night.
 
The Blue Jackets are set to square off against the Calgary Flames, who currently hold down the 11th spot in the Western Conference. The Flames sit just two points back of the eighth-place San Jose Sharks.
 
With a win, the Blue Jackets will not only halt a four-game losing skid extended Saturday night by a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, but can also damper the hopes of a Calgary club that is coming off a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Friday.
 
To be successful, Columbus will need a strong effort from their top line of RJ Umberger, Derick Brassard and Rick Nash. The trio has failed to find the score sheet during their losing skid, with Nash, the Columbus captain, failing to record a point in six straight. 
 
Projected lineup

R.J. Umberger – Derick Brassard – Rick Nash
Vinny Prospal – Mark Letestu – Cam Atkinson
Colton Gillies – Ryan Johansen – Derek Dorsett
Ryan Russell – Darryl Boyce – Jared Boll
 
Jack Johnson – James Wisniewski
Aaron Johnson – Nikita Nikitin
John Moore – Bret Lebda
 
Steve Mason
Curtis Sanford

CALGARY – Whether or not the Calgary Flames make the playoffs is up to them.
 
Currently on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture, the Flames have five of their remaining 10 games against teams they are chasing, or chasing away, in the race.
 
And with little help on the out of town scoreboard of late, Calgary is more than happy to handle the dirty work.
 
“We have to worry about ourselves in here,” Curtis Glencross said. “You’re watching every night, you’re watching to see what’s going on around the league. The ultimate goal at the end of the night is we come in here and do our part and that’s all we can ask for.
 
“We’ve got to go one period and one game at a time.”
 
The Flames will see both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars twice before the season closes and will go head-to-head with the Los Angeles Kings once. All three teams currently sit ahead of Calgary in the standings, though a win by the Flames over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night at Scotiabank Saddledome can change all that.
 
In the jumbled playoff picture the Flames, currently 11th in the West, trail the Phoenix Coyotes by one point, while two points separate Calgary from the Kings and San Jose Sharks. The difference between the club and both Colorado and Dallas sits at three. 
 
“We can wake up tomorrow morning and the standings will be completely different and then the next day wake up again and they’ll be completely different again,” coach Brent Sutter said. “Worry about yourselves and take care of yourselves – it’s what you can control. If you’re doing what you need to do, you’ll get to where you need to get to.”

CALGARY – The return of forward Lee Stempniak has allowed Calgary Flames coach Brent Sutter to shuffle the deck.
 
Missing 21 consecutive games with an ankle injury, Stempniak is set to return to the Flames in the midst of their playoff push Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, skating alongside David Moss and Blake Comeau.
 
“For me to come in, I’m excited,” Stempniak said. “I can’t wait to get back and I think it’s a great way to jump into it.
 
“It’s tough being out. The hardest part is mentally, knowing you can’t be out there and being patient and doing all the little things right to make sure you get back on time. I think emotionally, you’re really excited to be back. You want to be in there and make a difference when you can.”
 
The shake-up moves Moss back to center, a position he’s rarely played since returning from his own injury earlier in the month.
 
“Wherever (Sutter) wants me to play,” Moss said. “It might not last. Last game I was playing left wing, center, right wing so tonight it’s the middle and I’m looking forward to it.”
 
The line gives Sutter another trio that he can be comfortable with in all situations as the Flames look to make ground in a difficult Western Conference playoff chase.
 
“It gives you another line that you can put together that has some experience and give us a little size there with Mosser moving to center,” Sutter said.
 
With Stempniak returning to the lineup and Lance Bouma (upper-body) and Tim Jackman (shoulder) nearing return, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Calgary’s sick bay – currently inhabited by seven players.
 
“We get one guy back so it’s encouraging,” Sutter said. “It’s an encouraging day, just being able to slowly get through this and get this guys back that can provide us with some experience.”
 
Projected lineup

Alex Tanguay – Matt Stajan – Jarome Iginla
Curtis Glencross – Olli Jokinen – Tom Kostopoulos
Lee Stempniak – David Moss – Blake Comeau
Greg Nemisz – Roman Horak – Guillaume Desbiens
 
Jay Bouwmeester – Derek Smith
Mark Giordano – Scott Hannan
Cory Sarich – Anton Babchuk
 
Miikka Kiprusoff
Henrik Karlsson

CALGARY -- The Phoenix Coyotes could be without a pair of important pieces to their playoff puzzle in the second of back-to-back games against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome Thursday.
 
Both Adrian Aucoin and Radim Vrbata are questionable for the game, an important contest in the Western Conference playoff picture. The Coyotes are currently seventh in the West and hold a three-point advantage over the Flames at 81.
 
Vrbata missed the 5-4 victory over Vancouver Wednesday due to illness and is considered day-to-day by the club.
 
Aucoin did suit up against the Canucks, but did not finish the game, which could pave the way for either Michael Stone or Derek Morris to return to the lineup. Stone was a healthy scratch for the Coyotes, while Morris hasn’t played since Feb. 11 due to personal reasons.
 
Either could play in front of goaltender Mike Smith, who is expected to start against Calgary. Smith has started 13 of the previous 14 games for the Coyotes.
 
Here's the projected lineup for the Coyotes:

Ray Whitney - Antoine Vermette - Gilbert Brule
Raffi Torres - Daymond Langkow - Shane Doan
Taylor Pyatt - Boyd Gordon - Lauri Korpikoski
Mikkel Boedker - Marc-Antoine Pouliot - Paul Bissonnette
 
Keith Yandle - David Schlemko
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Michal Rozsival
Rostislav Klesla - Michael Stone
 
Mike Smith
Jason LaBarbera
 

CALGARY -- Help is on the way for the Calgary Flames.
 
The list of eight players on the injured reserve list will soon shrink with the pending returns of Lee Stempniak and Lance Bouma. Unfortunately for the Flames, though, that will not happen Thursday night when they host the Phoenix Coyotes at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
 
Both Bouma and Stempniak took the game-day skate, but will not play against the Coyotes, who hold a three-point edge on Calgary in the Western Conference playoff chase.
 
"To be able to get out there and skate, it felt good," said Bouma, who has missed four games with an upper-body injury. "We'll take it day-by-day and see how it feels as it goes on. Today was good; the practice was good. We'll see how it goes."
 
After missing 19 games with an ankle injury, Stempniak is in a similar situation.
 
"I'm more day-to-day then week-to-week," Stempniak said. "I feel good. I think at some point I'll do more practice and do more contact and see how it is. At that point it will be coach's decision."
 
Coach Brent Sutter pegged Stempniak as the next to return from the sick bay.
 
"Probably Stemps is the closest out of everyone right now, as long as he has no setbacks," Sutter said. "They're both getting real close."
 
The return of either would spell the end of junior recall Sven Baertschi, up on an emergency basis from the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. He will be forced to return to juniors as soon as either is healthy.
 
"After the next guy, if things stay as is and the next guy gets healthy enough to return and he's at the level he needs to be to get back in our lineup, then Baertsch will have to go down," Sutter said. "It's just the way the rules work."
 
Fully aware, the 19-year-old has handled the situation maturely.
 
"That's the tough part of it," said Baertschi, who has 2 goals in three games since his recall. "Not everyone can do what I did so far here. I just got really lucky. It's an exciting time for me. I just enjoy it day-by-day. When I have to go back, I'll go back and do the same thing in Portland."
 
Here's the projected lineup for the Flames:

Alex Tanguay - Matt Stajan - Jarome Iginla
Curtis Glencross - Olli Jokinen - David Moss
Tom Kostopoulos - Greg Nemisz - Blake Comeau
Sven Baertschi - Roman Horak - Guillaume Desbiens
 
Jay Bouwmeester - Cory Sarich
Mark Giordano - Scott Hannan
Derek Smith - Anton Babchuk
 
Miikka Kiprusoff
Leland Irving
 
 

Less than 24 hours after defeating the Edmonton Oilers to collect a pair of key points, the San Jose Sharks will try for a sweep of Alberta on Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames.
 
The ninth-place Sharks can vault themselves into seventh with a win over the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. A win will not come easy with the Flames also battling for their playoff lives. Calgary trails the Sharks by just one point heading into the contest.
 
The Sharks, who are just 3-5-2 in their past 10 games, have a game in hand over the Flames, three more than eighth-place Colorado Avalanche and two over the Phoenix Coyotes, who hold down the seventh spot in the West.
 
Here is the projected lineup for the Sharks:

Patrick Marleau – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Ryane Clowe – Logan couture – Tommy Wingels
Daniel Winnik – Dominic Moore – Torrey Mitchell
Andrew Desjardins – Michal Handzus – TJ Galiardi
 
Dan Boyle – Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Douglas Murray – Brent Burns
Jason Demers – Colin White
 
Antti Niemi
Thomas Greiss

CALGARY – Blake Comeau won’t admit to watching the out-of-town scoreboard as the Calgary Flames attempt to chase down a playoff berth.
 
Comeau, who could be back for Calgary's game Tuesday with the San Jose Sharks after missing four with a shoulder injury, would prefer to take care of his own backyard instead.
 
“I don’t know how much we’re paying attention to it,” Comeau said. “We play a lot of the teams we’re in the race with still and I think if we take care of ourselves we’ll be alright.”
 
Trailing the Colorado Avalanche by just two points for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference, Flames coach Brent Sutter gathers everyone is keeping one eye on what other teams are doing around them, whether they’ll admit it or not.
 
“I think they all watch it, they just tell you differently,” Sutter said. “I find it hard to believe that no one isn’t keeping track on what other teams are doing too. Obviously we need to take care of our own business because everything else is irrelevant unless we do.”
 
 With the Sharks in town, Calgary has the opportunity to not only better posture in the playoff picture, but can also hinder San Jose’s chances. Just one point separates the two clubs in the standings.
 
“It seems like the last month we’ve had a lot of those games,” Comeau said. “We know how important this game is. It’s not going to come easy. It’s an important game for them as well. We’re going to have to be ready for a playoff-type atmosphere for this game.”
 
That could make the perfect setting for Comeau’s return.
 
“No one wants to be sitting in the stands watching so I’m excited to get back,” he said. “I feel good. The end decision is with Brent. I’m going to prepare like I’m in tonight but we’ll see what happens.”
 
Here is the projected lineup for the Flames:
 
Curtis Glencross – Olli Jokinen – David Moss
Alex Tanguay – Matt Stajan – Jarome Iginla
Sven Baertschi – Tom Kostopoulos – Blake Comeau
Guillaume Desbiens/Krys Kolanos – Roman Horak – Greg Nemisz
 
Jay Bouwmeester – Cory Sarich
Mark Giordano – Scott Hannan
Anton Babchuk – Derek Smith
 
Miikka Kiprusoff
Henrik Karlsson

CALGARY -- Sven Baertschi has had two nights to mull over his National Hockey League debut with the Calgary Flames.
 
He didn't get much sleep in either of them.
 
The Portland Winterhawks standout admitted that, with his first game just hours away, catching up on sleep during his afternoon nap isn't likely.
 
"It's really hard to describe how I feel right now," Baertschi said. "It's pure excitement and a little bit nervous, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to nap this afternoon. I'm just going to lay in bed and try to relax and settle things down."
 
An emergency recall from the Western Hockey League after a rash of injuries has ravaged the Flames' lineup, Baertschi is getting his professional career underway sooner than expected. It hasn't allowed the Langenthal, Switzerland product much time to prepare.
 
That's fine, said the reigning WHL player of the week.
 
"Probably better because it's my dream," Baertschi said. "I'm just a couple hours away and it's a really exciting time. It's the same as celebrating Christmas with your family."
 
Captain Jarome Iginla is interested in seeing what kind of youthful exuberance Baertschi will bring in his first taste of the big leagues.
 
"I wouldn't be too surprised if you see him out there a lot," Iginla said. "It's nice to see the young guys bring that enthusiasm and energy and excitement. On the guys, we build on it."
 
Baertschi is expected to play on a line with fellow Flames' first-round pick Greg Nemisz and veteran Tom Kostopoulos. Kostopolous, who played in his 600th NHL game in Tuesday's win over the Montreal Canadiens, will do what he can to keep the call-up level.
 
"I'll be yapping in his ear all game about nothing important, but everyone here just wants him to have fun and relax and enjoy it as much as possible," Kostopoulos said. "Sometimes talking too much is counterproductive. I'll help him out when I can, but we all just want to see him play and see what he can do."
 
The mandate for Baertschi from coach Brent Sutter is simple -- enjoy.
 
"Number one is I want him to enjoy the fact that this is his first professional game," Sutter said. "It's something I want him to remember and have good memories about it."
 
And undoubtedly, sweet dreams.