"We know that they're playing well and winning games and beating some really good teams, but we're coming into tonight with one goal: Get the two points and get out of here," said Flames leading scorer and former Canuck, Tyler Toffoli.
"When you look at what we've done over the last couple of weeks here, we've done what we've needed to. We're sticking together, staying in games and giving ourselves a chance.
"Tonight, it's another big test. But I think we're all looking forward to it and are excited about the opportunity to try and keep climbing here."
The Flames are 7-3-2 in their last 12 outings and are looking to win a third straight game for the first time since early December.
While it's been a rollercoaster season plagued by periods of inconsistency, the Flames appear to be rounding into form - at a time when others around them are struggling to find footing.
Sure, the Flames are at or near the top of most advanced metrics, including shot volume and scoring chances - but two things, in particular, stand out as they march on and make their push for a playoff spot:
"Marky," Toffoli said of the Flames' workhorse puck-stopper. "He's been playing really well for us and is giving us a chance every night. "We've had some games where we've needed him to bail us out. Even last game, you look at some of the chances we gave up, and he was there to shut them down.
"The other thing is our powerplay. It's been a lot better and we're getting some key goals at important times - to either tie things up or pull ahead - pretty often now.
"We're not letting anything faze us. We're staying in the moment, sticking together and working hard as a group."
That last line is especially important.
It would've been easy to call it quits when they were staring up at a six or seven-point deficit in the wild-card race and simply resign themselves to 'next year.' It would've been easy to turn on each other and play the blame game, instead of coming together and actively seeking solutions. Most of all, it would've been easy to let the outside noise infiltrate the dressing room and control the narrative.
But it's not supposed to be easy. Not if you want it bad enough. And as Dillon Dube said following Friday's optional morning skate, the "mood is right" inside the room now.
"It's definitely raising," Nikita Zadorov echoed of the team's confidence level. "It's an exciting time of the year - fighting for our lives, fighting for a playoff spot. I like it. I bet lots of guys in the room enjoy it as well."
Count Andrew Mangiapane among those embracing the challenge.
"Coming to the rink every day, everyone's ready to go to war every night," he said. "Nobody was really happy with the start of our season and midway through and all that, but we're still here, we've still got a chance. Everyone's excited and we're getting ready for this push.
"There's still a chance for us to come and make some noise here."
