Welcome to the Game Day Fire Drill, for this, Calgary’s 20th game of the season on Nov. 19, 2009.

This game makes me feel bad.

It makes me remember back a few weeks ago, and how quickly Calgary went up 5-0 on Chicago. It makes me think of the laughter over the third Flames goal. Then cackling over the fourth. The hysterics over the fifth. It makes me think of the nonchalance I felt toward the rest of the game.

It makes me feel that same no-big-deal feeling when Chicago got that first one back right at the end of the first period. It makes me recollect the well-that’s-odd feeling when Chicago pulled within three early in the second. It makes me think of the oh-no feeling from the Blackhawks’ third goal at 13:44. It makes me feel that stomach-churning feeling like when the fourth went in 41 seconds after that. It makes me feel that holy-hell-I-absolutely-cannot-believe it feeling of the fifth goal near the start of the third. It makes me feel that empty feeling of an overtime loss.

It makes me kind of mad that Calgary somehow earned a loser point out of that game. They didn’t deserve it in any way. It makes me remember how outraged I was after processing what I had seen. How could a professional hockey team full of high-quality players allow that to happen?

It makes me want the Flames to score 40 tonight, and that they don’t give up 41.

The Calgary Flames (12-5-2 for 26 points. Tied for fourth in the West, second in the Northwest) and the Chicago Blackhawks (12-5-2 for 26 points. Tied for fourth in the West, first in the Central).

7:30 p.m. Mountain time and 9:30 p.m. Eastern time. All other time zones should quickly find out they are unprepared to work at Google.

Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta. Calgary is 6-4-0 at home this year, which is pretty good. The Blackhawks are 2-3-1 on the road, but are 0-2-1 in their last three a streak dating back all the way to Oct. 15 (how does a team only play three road games out of 12?), away from home.

It’s Patrick Kane’s birthday — Strap in for more jokes about beating up old Buffalo cab drivers over 20 cents than you can theoretically shake a stick at. Also he’s only 21 and very, very good.

 

Marian Hossa might come back tonight — He will almost certainly come back within the week, and I read some reports this afternoon stating that he’s going to try to go tonight against the Flames. Wouldn’t that be great, great news? Wouldn’t it make you super-duper happy to have Marian freaking Hossa back in the lineup for a team that already scored six goals in one game against the Flames this year? The answer for my fantasy team is "yes." The answer for my sanity is "obviously not."

That last game — I will never, ever get over seeing that meltdown. Never.

Because the Flames might not blow a 5-0 lead. Enjoy the game and play defensive hockey in the comments section.