from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

We've talked a lot recently about how the Calgary Flames had a more favorable schedule than their conference rivals down the stretch, soemthing that could perhaps be an edge in making the playoffs. But if there's one thing you always learn at this time of year, it's that there's no such thing as an easy game on the docket.

The Flames lost 4-3 in a shootout to the visiting Stars on Wednesday, and combined with last Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to visiting Columbus, you wonder how much they might pay or not for those two lost points in the standings. Those were two very winnable games on paper, but Calgary got just two of four points.

The Flames are one point up on the Kings, but that's a razor-thing edge. The Stars, meanwhile, continue their desperate, late-season push. They're now at 82 points, six points behind Winnipeg for the final wild-card spot. Too little, too late I think, but stranger things have happened.

As for the Flames, they play six of their final eight games on the road, starting Friday at Minnesota. Suddenly that favorable schedule from two weeks ago doesn't look so good.

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