'FAST' APPROACHING

Suffocating. Claustrophobic. Stifling.
Oppressive to the point of being thought downright pushy.
The collective mindset of a pack of baying hounds chasing down a fugitive escaped from a road-side chain gang.
No time to draw breath, much less draw up an escape route.
Since camp opened, incoming coach Bill Peters has stressed relentlessness on the puck.
Wednesday, he untethers the dogs.
"We're going to play with a lot of pace," promised skipper Mark Giordano late Tuesday morning, as the Flames packed up for the short jaunt west to Vancouver for the season-opener. "A lot of speed.
"We want to be on top of teams.
"Play that in-your-face style hockey which is proving to be successful everywhere.
"We have high expectations of ourselves and we think that brand of hockey suits us. We have to play that way to get wins and we definitely have the guys to do it."

One such guy, Matthew Tkachuk, can't wait to get in on that first forecheck at Rogers Arena and cause some havoc.
"I know I if I was on another team playing against this style, I wouldn't be too happy," he cautioned. "You don't want teams feeling comfortable, you don't want offensive guys having too much time.
"I mean, it's not a ton of fun to be (pressured). And that's what we want.
Among the most influential of Flames, teetering on the brink of broad-based stardom, third-year man Tkachuk figures a swarming style dovetails smack-dab into his strengths.
"Playing fast as a team," he reckoned, "suits me. I might not be the fastest player out there but I am quick. I'm good at anticipating. Anticipation's a big part of my game. Reading plays. And hockey sense, I think, is probably my greatest asset.
"Those things - anticipation, hockey sense - allow me to play fast even if I'm not the best skater.
"So I'm really looking forward to the season."

Upgrades in personnel - bringing in the proven production of a James Neal, the all-around excellence of a Elias Lindholm, the gobsmacking potential of a Noah Hannifin, the quiet professionalism of a Derek Ryan and the youthful zest of a Dillion Dube and a Juuso Valimaki - are only part of the reason for vastly heightened belief as the Flames push to position themselves back in the playoff frame.
"I think we're a harder team to match-up against and we've got more depth," explained GM Brad Treliving. "I think now - however they're configured - we've got four lines that are going to play a quick, sort of a relentless style - in your face.
"Hopefully we're not going to give a lot of space and time in terms of how we defend.
"And hopefully we can get production throughout the lineup. As I said last summer, you focus on one or two guys you've got a really good chance to beat this team. Hopefully we've got more options now.
"And just the style - we want the puck and when we don't we want to get it back real quick.
"That makes you harder to play against."
The schedule opens with home-and-home against Vancouver, Wednesday-Saturday, before the Flames embark on a three-game road swing with stops in Nashville, St. Louis and Colorado.
"On paper,'' agreed veteran winger Michael Frolik, "it looks pretty good. But names on paper don't mean anything. You've still got to put the work in.
"I think we've shown that when we play fast, quick transition, we're a good team. Hopefully we can start that way in Vancouver.
"With new coaches and new players, things change. The way you approach the game, practices, even meetings. So you have to adjust a bit. But in pre-season we had a chance to figure things out and right now we feel good.
"It's been a long camp.
"So it's go time."