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With franchise history hanging in the balance, the Calgary Flames aren’t getting caught up in the hype.

The Flames have won 10 straight and can set a franchise record with their 11th victory in a row on Thursday evening in Vancouver. Calgary is now four points up on the Vegas Golden Knights for the Pacific Division lead, despite having played two fewer games, and sit second in the Western Conference with 66 points. 

Despite an impressive few weeks in an already impressive season, the team says Thursday’s game (and all it entails) will only matter if the team gets two points.

“I don’t put much stock in 10 in a row unless it’s the playoffs,” head coach Darryl Sutter said after their victory on Monday versus the Winnipeg Jets that tied the franchise record.

On Wednesday, the coach held firm with that message – Thursday against the Canucks does not represent potential franchise history, but rather two points in the Pacific Division standings.

“The fact is we haven’t played a road game in three weeks,” he said. “I don’t think we have played very well the last two or three games and we’re playing a divisional game tomorrow.”

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom, a likely candidate for the Vezina given his stellar season, said the buzz from media and fans surrounding the streak exists outside the Flames locker room – not within it.

“We don’t talk about it at all,” he said. “I think it’s more [media] that talk about it and make a big deal out of it. I don’t read much. I watch games but I don’t really watch a lot of sports panels…in the room, our focus is pretty clear, next game and short memory. As soon as the game is over, you prepare for the next game.”

“To be honest with you, tomorrow is a huge game for us standings-wise and all the rest of it is a bonus,” added defenceman Erik Gudbranson. “It’s cool for you guys for sure…the bigger goal is to come back with two points against a tough team in a tough building and get our game straightened out and keep pushing the pace forward and growing our game to where we want it to be at the end of the season.”

“Every day is a new day,” defenceman Chris Tanev said. “Whatever has happened in the past is in the past. That day, you’re trying to win and move forward from there.”

Despite being in first place in the division, Sutter hasn’t minced words about his team’s need to continue improving and sharpening itself if it wants to make the playoffs.

“There’s always areas you can get better at,” Sutter said.  “There was a stretch of games [during the streak] where we were scoring lots of goals, but it was in bunches or good breaks, which happens, but then lately we haven’t been. Sometimes you get too passive at the net and pretty, instead of the way that works.”

“We’ve let a few things slip and we have to dial our game back,” Gudbranson said.

Centre Elias Lindholm has shone recently and opened hockey fans’ eyes with his two-way play. Despite a 78-point campaign in 2018-19 and garnering Selke Trophy votes in two of the past three years, he’s flown under the radar outside of Calgary – but perhaps no longer.

The Swede has scored in eight straight (tying a franchise record set by Kent Nilsson and Gary Roberts) and was named one of the league’s Stars Of The Week for his efforts. During the Flames’ winning streak, he’s tallied 16 points and is plus-12.

"It's just a good feeling. You have confidence and you feel like you have a chance on every shot," said Lindholm.

Lindholm’s impact goes well beyond the goals column. He’s a fixture in all situations, and the team’s go-to matchup centre, regularly squaring off against the league’s best players.

“Ever since I came here, Lindy’s been our best and most consistent player probably,” Tanev said. “He does it up and down the ice, in all three zones, and against the other team’s top competition. He goes unnoticed maybe because he’s playing with Johnny [Gaudreau] and [Matthew Tkachuk], who are also obviously extremely talented and great players. He does all the little things that people at home might notice.”

"Goal scoring is one thing, lots of guys are scoring goals, but don't score big goals or at playoff time, don't get scoring chances," said Sutter. "[Lindholm] scores big goals, which usually translates into the next part."

The next part, for the Flames as a whole, is playing the right way in preparation for meaningful hockey in the spring.

“When you get into the last 20 and 30 games, the teams that are going to be playoff teams play a certain way,” Sutter said. “The teams that aren’t, their players play for goals, assists, or maybe not to get hurt. So, you have to be consistent and it’s my responsibility to make sure they don’t get away from it.”