The Flames' skid continues with the Kings' losing streak

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No one in the NHL is losing more than the Calgary Flames right now.

The only question is how low can they go?

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The Flames didn't look too upset in Thursday night's 4-1 loss to the host Los Angeles Kings. The Kings had everything to play for and secured a spot in the playoffs with the win. The Flames will be fully aware that spring will start early in a week, when they play their final regular season game on the road.

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And with the Arizona Coyotes – can we still call them the Salt Lake City Coyotes? Are there coyotes in Utah? — with a win on Wednesday and the Ottawa Senators knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, the Flames now have three teams within two points overall.

Getting as few points as possible over the final four games could see these teams leapfrog the Calgary crew and improve the Flames' chances in the draft lottery.

This would be the best long-term thing for the organization. Getting the best young players possible in the draft is more important than any points they can score in the standings next week. It's not even a debate.

But that doesn't make all the losses any more frustrating for the guys in the locker room.

They are still competitors and it all boils down to losing.

Fortunately, there is at least a quick turnaround this time, and they can try to move on from Thursday's unbeaten loss to the Kings with Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. (8 p.m. MT, Sportsnet one/Sportsnet 960 fans).

“It's good, of course, it's good to turn the page,” Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau told reporters after the game in LA. “We have four games left and we have to do our best, forget about tonight and be better tomorrow.

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“They're a good team and they showed that tonight. I think we need to put in a better effort to win or at least compete with a team like this. Throw this in the trash and come back to it tomorrow and be better.”

Splitting a game like the one the Flames played on Thursday means a lot.

Head coach Ryan Huska said he thought they looked slow in the first two periods. The Kings could have a hard time scoring when they were set up in their own zone, and the Flames weren't very quick to catch their opponents napping.

They tried to get back into the game in the third period. They were 3-0 down after 40 minutes, but Huberdeau doubled back after Daniil Miromanov's shot sent Cam Talbot home.

However, this was not enough. The Flames have lost nine of their last 11 games. Their 2-8-0 record over their last 10 games is the worst of any NHL team during that stretch.

This may change. Their schedule covers the final four games, with matchups against the lowly Coyotes, Ducks and San Jose Sharks, as well as the playoff-bound Vancouver Canucks.

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The Flames themselves want to win as much as possible. That's what you want from guys who actually play, even if everyone else knows that a few more losses wouldn't be a bad thing in the grand scheme of things.

“We need to gather here again, learn from our mistakes and move on,” Miromanov said. “It's just a short turn, it's back tomorrow night in Anaheim. We've got to know what we've got to do, we've got to keep moving forward here, we've got to really dial it in here in the last little stretch. “

On the other side of the ice

Blake Coleman was unavailable for the Flames on Thursday night. The team announced that he was out every morning… In the first period, Miromanov took a very wild penalty. He dropped his stick, grabbed the puck with both hands, then snapped it between his legs like a center in soccer. It led to a power play that led to a goal, so it wasn't perfect, but it made the reporter laugh. That has to count for something … Adrian Kempe did a great job under the Flames' skin, especially in the first 40 minutes. It started when Brayden Pachal shoved goaltender Jacob Markstrom, something the Flames weren't too happy about, but he got in the middle of any other fumbles, and there were few in the first two. stages.

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