Those contests are important teaching moments, Babcock added, because they put the team in difficult situations where they can improve on those details and find more consistency for the long haul, and the bench boss is thankful for those opportunities for his side to get pushed into becoming a better team.
"Night in and night out, you got to find a way to get better," the bench boss said. "Teams are checking us hard. I appreciate that from them. It gives us the best chance to get better. We have to get comfortable in a tight-checking atmosphere where they give you no room, because in the end, if we want to be successful, that's where we've got to thrive. Â
"To think we're just going to go up and down the ice and play river hockey and have success, we're not, so let's learn how to grind and let's embrace the ultra-competitive feeling that the other team gives you when they won't give you any room."
The Flames, meanwhile, are enjoying a patch of positive results, winning three straight games over the Wild, Red Wings and Maple Leafs and riding that momentum into Wednesday's provincial clash in Oil Country.
After Dustin Wolf started in goal for the Flames in their 5-2 win over Toronto on Monday, Calgary is likely to turn back to Devin Cooley to make the start in Edmonton, having won each of his last four starts with a combined 1.50 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage.
