Eurolanche

Desperation time for Avs and Flames

Season series: It's the third of four meetings this season. Colorado won the first two, 6-3 in Calgary on Jan. 31 and 5-4 in Denver on Feb. 28.

Big story: Time is growing short for both of these teams if they hope to make a push toward a playoff berth. The Avalanche are the worst road team in the NHL at 2-10-3, while the Flames have won seven in a row at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Team Scope:

Avalanche: Colorado begins a back-to-back in Western Canada with a visit to Calgary; the Avalanche are in Vancouver on Thursday to face the Canucks, who won 3-2 in Denver on Sunday. After Tuesday's practice, coach Joe Sacco talked about the need to avoid playing from behind -- the Avalanche have scored the opening goal just nine times in 31 games.

"Comeback hockey is not conducive to consistent winning," Sacco said. "If you don't score that first goal, which may happen, stick with it and don't feel like you have to get it the next shift. Sometimes we have a tendency as a group that we feel like we have to score the next shift after we give up that first goal, and therefore we may make a couple more mistakes that we shouldn't be making."

Flames: With the season spiraling toward another early summer vacation, the Flames are dealing with speculation about possible trades before the April 3 deadline as well as trying to cope with opponents looking for points in the tight playoff race. Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Chicago looked better on paper than on the ice. The Flames were outshot 35-16, and only the goaltending of Miikka Kiprusoff kept the score down. Afterwards, captain Jarome Iginla fielded questions about his own status as well as the pending trade deadline. Iginla's name has been prominently mentioned as a trade target by several contenders.

"As a group we've tried not to add to all the talk, but unfortunately when you're out of the [Stanley Cup Playoffs] at the trade deadline, there's a lot of talk about whatever team it is," Iginla said. "That's where we are right now, so in five or six days it will all work itself out with the whole group. Our job is now we play back-to-back, and it's just to be ready and be better than we were tonight."

Who's hot: PA Parenteau has goals in Colorado's past two games and has put up 31 points in 31 games. Center Ryan O'Reilly has 11 points in 12 games since re-signing with the Avalanche, including five in his last three.

Injury report: Colorado is without center Paul Stastny (foot) and defenseman Ryan Wilson (ankle); forward Steve Downie (knee surgery) won't be back until next season. … The Flames list no injuries.

-- by John Kreiser for NHL.com --