Amid the location changes, though, some consistency has started to form within the Flames lineup. The group skated Monday in the same lineup that manufactured wins at home against the Stars Saturday and Canucks Sunday, and for Huska, that familiarity – especially in his forward units – has helped create a bit of mid-season chemistry.
“We’ve been able to keep them together for a number of games, so I think the best thing to do is keep them together,” he explained. “You start to build a little chemistry in connection with the guys that you’re on the line with, and I most definitely see it with the (Morgan) Frost line (with Jonathan Huberdeau and Matt Coronato). They’re starting to make some plays. They’re starting to be creative, and they start starting to be a dangerous line like we’re hoping they’ll be.
“And now you’re starting to see it with (Nazem) Kadri’s line (with Joel Farabee and Yegor Sharangovich) and the (Mikael) Backlund line (featuring Blake Coleman and Connor Zary) as well. So, a lot of positives that are happening for sure.”
It helps, too, that pucks are going in. Calgary has scored 13 goals (plus two more in Saturday’s shootout) over the past three games, and those 13 tallies have come off the sticks of nine different players (Farabee leads the team with three markers over that span).
And it’s Huska’s hope that the aforementioned Frost line can continue to lead the way as this lengthy trip continues.
“I think they have another level in them, but the more they’re around each other, they kind of have a better understanding of where the other likes to go, or where they like to play in the offensive zone, or like Huby’s tendencies off the rush,” he said. “The other two are now kind of able to read off of what he likes to do there.
“So, hopefully they’re going to find some more chemistry. Hopefully they’re going to find the back of the net a lot more often, and it’s going to lead to some success for our team.”
Coronato’s hot streak has definitely helped. And he’s shooting the puck a tonne, launching 42 discs on target over his last nine games.
But up and down the lineup, everyone is chipping in, everyone is starting to contribute.
From captain Mikael Backlund on down, there’s a good energy in the room.
“It feels really good to win three straight, it’s helped the group feel better, but we’ve got to keep building on it,” Backlund said. “It’s like Ras (Andersson) said after the last game, winning is fun.
“We’ve got to keep doing it.”