Adam Klapka

Cale Makar takes a thunderous hit from Flames giant Adam Klapka, stays in to notch three assists, then vanishes into the locker room with an upper-body issue that has coaches holding their breath. Pittsburgh scratches for every playoff point while Detroit waves the white flag on contention, and goalies square off in another classic brawl that reminds us why this league never dulls.

Adam Klapka threads a perfect pass from below the goal line, and Victor Olofsson buries his first goal with the Flames to make it 2-0 against the Panthers. The big winger, who's been a physical presence since earning his spot out of camp, shows his playmaking chops on a night when Calgary's depth steps up big. Olofsson, fresh off that trade from Colorado, looks right at home in the Saddledome, and this power-play tally hints at the impact he's ready to make down the stretch.

Brennan Othmann laces up for his Flames debut tonight after the Rangers shipped him west at the deadline for a junior prospect, giving the 23-year-old former first-rounder the reset he craved. The Scarborough kid captained in the OHL, tore it up in the AHL with 21 points this year split between Hartford and Calgary, and now lines up with Gross and Klapka against Vancouver.

Tyson Gross, the Calgary kid who lit up St. Cloud State with 41 points and a captain's C, suits up for the Flames tonight against Tampa after signing his entry-level deal. He's sliding onto the fourth line with Pospisil and Klapka, stepping in while Connor Zary nurses that upper-body tweak from Greer's hit. Front offices have whispered about Gross's faceoff dominance - 489 wins led the NCHC - and this debut could be the spark Calgary needs in a tight race.