Desperate times deserve desperate measures. When the Calgary Flames faltered and fell into a disarming slump in January and could not find any light at the end of their darkened tunnel, gm Darryl Sutter rousted the roster and shook the foundation by completely changing the tone of his tumbling team.

Out went under achieving winger Olli Jokinen, dart-dishing defenseman Dion Phaneuf, under appreciated backstop Curtis McElhinney and promising pugilist Brandon Prust. In came energetic forward Niklas Hagman, veteran voice Steve Staios, face off facilitator Matt Stajan and tentative tent tender Vesa Toskala.

That infusion of new blood has elevated the fate of the Flames, injected fresh fuel into a staggering offensive attack and motivated the veterans. The result has been evident on the scoresheet, in the dressing room and in the standings.

Vesa Toskala, rejuvenated and recovered from a lengthy stay in the Toronto Maple Leafs madhouse, gives the Stampede City side the veteran goaltending help that sidelines scribes and pensive puck prognosticators have lone demanded.

While he probably won’t see much action down the stretch, Toskala gives the entire team a boost of confidence just knowing that when incumbent Miikka Kiprusoff needs a rest, a capable and culpable commodity is ready to battle between the pipes.

Steve Staios brings an infectious optimism to the team and an on-ice work ethic that demands attention. He won’t light up the scoreboard and his grinding skating style won’t win many races but he blocks shots with audacious abandon and addresses any aggressor with persuasive prejudice.

When the Flames faced the Minnesota Wild in their first post-Olympic tilt, the club was flat and unresponsive, dropping an embarrassing 4-0 decision. Minnesota iced the puck with reckless impunity throughout the game, content in their belief that Calgary’s forwards were so weak in the face-off circle that they wouldn’t be damaged by this questionable strategy.

While the aspect of the club’s game plan still needs improvement, Matt Stajan has made commendable strides. After a dismal 4-for-15 performance on the dot against Minnesota, Stajan won 77% of his draws in last night’s thrilling come-from-behind 4-2 win over Detroit.

Chris Higgins, whose diligent determination hasn’t been rewarded on the scoresheet, finally notched his first goal as a member of the Flames when he deposited a 100-foot insurance marker into the Wings’ vacated cage to seal one the most important victories of this calamitous season.

In the past four games, this club has finally looked like a team that could cause commotion in the post-season.

Getting there is only thing preventing that from happening.

It’s been said that confidence can be contagious. If that’s a fact, then it’s one infectious bug the Calgary Flames would welcome infiltrating their dressing room.

After a dramatically dreadful effort against the Minnesota Wild in their first post-Olympic outing and a politely mediocre first period in their next game against the New Jersey Devils, the Flames received a infusion of energy and a cauldron of confidence from a single tally from the stick of Daymond Langkow.

That goal, Langkow’s first in 22 games, came after an energetic and efficient effort by Chris Higgins, who scrummed the puck along the boards for an eternity before storming towards the front of the net and dishing the puck to Langkow, who slipped a nifty backhand shot past Martin Brodeur.

That effort and the worthy result seemed to lift a shawl of uncertainty off the shoulders of the team. That game changing marker was followed in quick order by a shorthanded goal by Curtis Glencross and the fire was lit.

Five different players found the back of the net in that evening’s 5-3 victory and suddenly, a plodding unproductive offensive attack seemed to find the spark so often lost in previous games.

On Sunday, against the same Wild team that had embarrassed them only days earlier, the Flames exploded from the starting gate, pouring a pair of goals into the Minnesota net before many of the patrons had even found their seats.

After Minnesota had closed the gap to 2-1, Jarome Iginla – captain Calgary – took up the gauntlet, picked up the team and fueled a 5-2 win with a natural hat-trick to secure the most-needed two points.

It wasn’t just that the Flames were able to score five goals in back-to-back games for the first time since October. It wasn’t just that the Flames were able to post back-to-back wins for just the third time since the calendar turned its page from 2009 to 2010.

It was the manner, method and mechanics of the wins. The team soared through into the opposition zone and played with vigor and vitality around the enemy net, defended with determined diligence in their own end and refused to take unnecessary penalties.

If the club can continue to breathe this contagious air of confidence, their road to the post-season may be paved with success instead of seizures.

Sideline skeptics and pensive prognosticators who have long lobbied for the Calgary Flames to acquire a veteran goaltender to backup Miikka Kiprusoff have had wishes fulfilled. Sort of. GM Darryl Sutter put the finishing touches on his playoff stretch drive lineup by dispatching Curtis McElhinney to the Anaheim Ducks for beleaguered former Maple Leaf shooting gallery goaltender Vesa Toskala.

Curious crease-contemplating cynics may chuckle at the thought of Toskala being an upgrade on the rarely used and seldom trusted McElhinney – especially if the formers ill-fated stint between the pipes for the Toronto Maple Leafs is used as a barometer. Well, any netminder – even those named Dryden or Roy -  would look like a faulty faucet wearing the blue and white since the lockout.

Toskala has a history with both gm Sutter and current Calgary crease cop Kiprusoff and this comfort level should help resurrect a career that has flagged over the past two seasons due to injury and indecision. He’s a veteran presence, a solid citizen and, despite his troubles blocking the biscuit in Toronto, a trusted custodian of the corded cottage. He’s a commodity the Flames desperately required if they are going to win the 15 games necessary to advance to the playoffs.

The McElhinney isn’t the only move the Flames made on trade deadline day. late in the day, the Flames acquired Steve Staios from Edmonton for Aaron Johnson and a draft choice. Staios is a highly regarded veteran who brings tenacity and delivers hard-core dedication every time he steps onto the sheet.

While the team was on their Olympic break, the club signed both Rene Bourque and newly acquired Matt Stajan to long term contract extensions.

The team returns to the ice tonight against the Minnesota Wild. The Flames have 20 games remaining on their schedule and it seems likely, they will need to win at least 15 of those matches to insure an invitation to the post-season dance.

For a brief moment in time, it seemed Canada’s golden pursuit would be represented by the resounding clang of frozen rubber striking vertical metal. Not once, but twice.

In the end, however, it was the sound of a duet orchestrated by Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla melting into a mess of mesh that struck the most resonating chord.

Oh Canada – our home and native land.

Although it wasn’t always reflected on the scoresheet, Iggy and his Team Canada linemates were always in the thick of the action, creating offensive opportunities, dutifully diverting the puck out of their own zone and physically punishing any patron who dared infiltrate their air space.

In the penultimate game against Slovakia, Iggy and Sid the Kid were symbolic of the entire Canadian effort, grinding out every shift, diligently dueling with their opponent and basking in the success of their efforts. The statistical sheet didn’t broadcast that effort, but ardent observers were well aware of their contribution.

For a time on Sunday, it seemed that all that hard work might go without reward. Nursing a 2-1 lead, the Canucks couldn’t snare the insurance marker. The American goalposts were ringing from two direct hits. Bouncing pucks eluded Canadian sticks. Iggy drilled a backhanded blister towards the bottom right corner of the net, but USA crease cop Ryan Miller stuck out a pad in rapier-like fashion to prevent the puck from entering the net. Sidney Crosby stretched to corral a breakaway pass only to have the disc slide of his stick as he bore down on the American net.

Then, with Canada only 35 seconds from tasting gold and raising the roof, Team USA took advantage of their lucky bounce.  A cross-crease pass ricocheted off Jamie Langenbrunner’s skate right onto Zach Parise’s blade and the Yankee clipper didn’t miss the chance, sliding the puck under Roberto Luongo’s outstretched mitt to tie the game at 2-2.

But for Captain Calgary, it only advanced an opportunity to bask in an individual spotlight while sharing the entire glowing glare. Iggy’s determined digging along the sideboards dug up a loose puck, which he deftly delivered to Crosby.

The Kid, mired in an eight period pointless slump and the victim of media mockery for his lack of production, whipped Iginla’s feed through Miller’s legs for the golden goal that delivered the Olympic title to Canada.

The Kid and the Captain Calgary will be united forever as the architects of the moment that sealed a dream, ignited a nation-wide celebration and put Canada on the top of the hockey world.

There’s nothing better than that.

It was as perplexing a performance as we have ever seen from the Calgary Flames #1 goaltender. In perhaps the biggest game of his International career between the pipes, Kipper the Keeper turned into Miikka the Melted.

The usually unflappable flopper allowed four goals on seven shots – including a grievous giveaway that delivered a gift-wrapped game opening goal to the Americans – in the first ten minutes of Finland’s semifinal match against the USA.

Throughout the first 60 games of this NHL season, Miikka Kiprusoff has been the Stampede City squad’s most valuable player, courageously keeping the club in game after game while the team attempted to find its identity and adapt to the strategic schemes administered by new bench boss Brent Sutter.

When Kiprusoff demanded that he be named as Finland’s #1 starter for the 2010 Olympic tournament, there were few detractors who didn’t agree with Kipper’s claim that he deserved the top seat on the Finnish throne. And he backed up his supporters with a brilliant display of goaltending in each of his first three games of the competition.

However, in Friday’s semifinal contest, he seemed out of sorts and off kilter. As a result, he was on the bench as an observer instead of in the nets as a participant before many patrons had even found their seats.

Miikka’s going take some heat for his porous performance – I’m sure the Suomi scribes will be unrelenting in heaping scorn on his shoulders. But there’s plenty of room for blame in the Finland game. After Kiprusoff’s opening gambit gaffe, not a single member of his team attempted to offer him encouragement – they just skated around in bewildered confusion.

While Kipper attempted to regroup, his Finnish teammates collapsed around him, took a pair of punishable penalties and allowed the USA forwards to blitz, buzz and barrage the net at will.

By the end of the first period, the score stood USA 6, Finland 0. Game, set and match.

Yes, Kiprusoff made a dreadful mistake that allowed the USA to take an early lead. Yes, he looked weak on the American’s fourth goal. But in a team game, the entire team is accountable. And his teammates played soft, looked uninterested and gave up the ghost long before the haunting was over.

Hopefully, Kiprusoff won’t carry this ugly piece of baggage back to Calgary. One thing is certain – his professional teammates won’t hang him on the line and leave him flapping in the wind.

It was as complete an effort as any Canadian team has ever displayed, regardless of the venue, competition or opponent. Of course, waxing the tails of the Russians is always special. And on this night, every shift, every puck pursuit, every picture-perfect pass and sheet-shaking body check was delivered on time, in time.

Canada 7, Russia 3

A score seldom tells the story, but this one comes mighty close.

Fourteen of Canada’s 18 skaters registered at least one point, Roberto Luongo made an assortment of astounding saves and the coaching staff twisted the knot with precise purpose.

And speaking of the Canadian brass, there was method in their madness. Mike Babcock and the rest of the Team Canada brain trust have raised eyebrows and inspired heated debate with some of their decisions regarding line combinations and playing time.

Some players have seen their ice time restricted while others were pinned to the pine for extended periods of time. And make no mistake. Nothing hurts the pride of a Canadian hockey player more than having the opportunity to practice that pride grabbed away.

Against Switzerland, Jarome Iginla was given a prime time view of the proceedings from the front row of the Babcock doghouse, despite notching a hat-trick in the previous game. In the coach’s opinion, the Calgary captain was too passive in his pursuit of the puck and not physically active along the boards.

Iginla, who had taken a nasty knock to the noggin earlier in the game, didn’t use his crunched cranium as a cop-out. He accepted his punishment with honest humility and played the next three games with persistance and perseverance instead of excuses and exasperation.

The result? A brace of goals against Germany and an exemplary effort befitting of his status as one his country’s finest hockey ambassadors.

Against Germany, Babcock wasn’t pleased with the performance of Dan Boyle and Chris Pronger, and gave each of them an extended rest on the bench while their teammates picked up the slack and the extra minutes.

The result? On Wednesday evening, both men turned in their finest efforts of the Olympics in guiding Canada to their overwhelming victory. Boyle contributed a goal and two assists to the massacre while Pronger added an assist while playing a solid, steady and secure role anchoring the blueline.

Humility is a virtue and on Wednesday night the Canadians regained a good measure of their own by stealing most of the Russian’s.

The medal round awaits.

Well hello Joe. Glad to meet you Rick.

Two key suspects in the Team Canada collapse – Joe Thornton and Rick Nash – jumped up off the canvas on Tuesday evening and helped propel Canada past a determined but under talented German team. While that duo made welcome additions to the score sheet, the Canadian brass were also playing in harmonious unity.

Finally, Mike Babcock and his staff got it right. After three games spent juggling the lines and shuffling the deck with the efficiency of a drunken clown, Babcock and the brain trust gave Jarome Iginla a vote of confidence instead of a stab of omission. Babcock returned Iginla to the top unit, placed the big body presence of Eric Staal with Captain Calgary and Sid the Kid, then stood back and allowed the talented trio to take it to the Germans.

The result was an 8-2 victory that cascaded Canada into a do-or-die match with the Russians on Wednesday evening. After an uncharacteristically passive performance against Switzerland that led to a seat on the bench and raised both eyebrows and emotions, Iginla reacted with poise and patience.

He was one of Canada’s top forwards in the USA loss and was dominant the entire evening against Germany, scoring a brace of goals, hitting every white jersey in sight and driving the net with tenacious determination.

The success of Canada moving forward is dependent on the contributions of veteran voices like Iginla, but on this evening, his actions spoke louder than words and he was easily the most proficient power forward on the ice.

The Canadian coaching staff also limited the minutes of ineffective blueliners Chris Pronger and Dan Boyle and kept Patrice Bergeron pinned to the pine for the majority of the match, giving the last-minute addition to the team Canada lineup less than four minutes of ice time.

Roberto Luongo was steady between the pipes in his first game since assuming the mantle of #1 goaltender while the underachieving Joe Thornton shook some of the dust off his crusty game and scored his first Olympic goal since the opening game of the 2006 games.

Rick Nash was finally rewarded for his diligent play and focused effort with a goal and ageless Scott Niedermayer found enough spring in his 36-year-old pins to snare a loose puck, soar down the sheet and slip a pretty wrist shot past German crease cop Thomas Greiss.

While it wasn’t exactly a masterful piece of art, it was an efficient, economical and reassuring victory. Hopefully, that momentum and the pride of the pursuit will pay dividends against a far more lethal opponent when Alex Ovechkin and the Russians bring their relentless attack to the rink tomorrow.

It was all between the pipes on Sunday night.

Ryan Miller – an NHL Hart Trophy candidate and one of the game’s top crease cops – was simply majestic against Canada, kicking aside 42 pucks as the USA defeated Canada in an Olympic match-up for the first time since 1960.

At the other end of the sheet, Martin Brodeur – the most celebrated netminder in the history of the game – did not come close to matching Miller’s heroics.

The usually dependable Brodeur battled the puck all evening long and looked suspect on at least two of the quintet of pucks the Yanks were able to push past him.

As a result, Canada dropped a crucial 5-3 decision to the United States, falling into fifth place and missing the opportunity to skip the qualification round. They also missed a chance to put in some quality practice time – time that could have helped supply some zip to a porous powerplay and find some continuity among the forward lines.

Canada will now face Germany in the qualification round. If they dispatch that opponent, Canada will have to beat Russia to reach the podium round.

Captain Calgary, Jarome Iginla, was energetic, efficient and full of purpose for most of the evening, although he deserved to see more ice than the 14 minutes of action he was granted. When he was on the sheet, he made things happen. Finally restored to the top unit in the third period, he helped the line create numerous scoring chances and was on the ice when Canada pulled to within a goal when Sidney Crosby scored to make the count 4-3.

On this evening, the stars fell from the sky and skidded to a fiery crash at both ends of the ice. The defensive duo of Niedermayer and Pronger were both tentative and suspiciously nervous, Crosby and Rick Nash were both –3 on the plus/minus side of the ledger while Mike Richards didn’t deliver the spark he was counted on to provide. And then there was Brodeur. A rare bad night at a very bad time may spell the end of Canada’s medal hopes.

True, Canada outshot the USA by a healthy margin and controlled the majority of the play. Play like that against any other foe and the result would be different. But Canada must have better goaltending, be more efficient in the face-off circle and play with optimistic pride.

Hey, look at this way. We’d have to beat Russia somewhere down the road. That turn in the highway just came upon us a little earlier than expected. Beating them now will be just as sweet as beating them then.

Mike Babcock sure knows how to raise the fire in Flames fans. Bench Jarome Iginla and his faithful Flames followers react as though you’ve committed an act of grand treason.

Write a column expressing a less-than-complimentary opinion about Iginla’s lack of juice during the game and you get swamped with comments questioning your eyesight and commitment to Canada.

The truth hurts and the facts rarely lie.

In Canada’s narrow 3-2 victory over Switzerland, Iginla saw only 12 minutes of ice time, didn’t record a single shot on goal and was virtually pinned to the pine for the entire third period. He wasn’t used in the overtime period and didn’t get a chance to contribute in the shootout.

So why would a coach decide to sit down a veteran player that just two evenings before had rallied the troops with a three-goal performance that was earned through intelligent positioning, gritty work in the slot and deft timing.

On Thursday, Babcock felt that extra spark and jump was missing and was was clearly unimpressed with what he considered a lack of aggression on Iggy’s part. In a tournament where gold is the only acceptable colour, Babcock has made it clear – to captain Calgary at least – that a shift wasted is an answerable act.

Many observers have speculated that Iginla was injured and was unable to effectively continue in the contest – a supposition that Iginla himself has firmly denied. If he was hurt, would he admit it? Not a chance. Iginla doesn’t make excuses – never has.

But, if you asked him about his performance on Thursday, he’d be the first to admit that it wasn’t acceptable. At the same time, if he could speak freely without fear of retribution, he’d also say his crime did not fit the punishment.

Make no mistake, half of the team was accountable and deserved similar discipline against Switzerland, but Iginla was the one who paid the price. Fair? Hardly.

Now this – early indications from Canada’s practice on Saturday suggest that Iginla has been relegated to third or fourth line duty on Sunday with Mike Richards assuming Iggy’s role on the top unit.

Can Canada win without Iginla? Not in my opinion. But as long as Mike Babcock is calling the shots, we may have to.

I can’t say with any certainty where Calgary Flames bench boss Brent Sutter is spending his winter vacation, but it’s safe to assume that where ever he is, he’s a keen observer of the Olympic hockey tournament. At the same time, it’s probable that he’s either shaking his head in bewildered frustration or nodding his head in optimistic anticipation.

In a season where virtually all of his offensive schemes and imaginative line juggling has failed to provide the spark needed to ignite a slumbering Calgary offense on the NHL pond, his troops are lighting the lamp with regularity in the five-ring circus being conducted in Vancouver.

Jarome Iginla, who couldn’t buy a goal for the entire month of January while wearing the red and white of the Flames, ignited the red and white of Canada with a hat-trick in his country’s 8-0 whitewashing of Norway in the tournament lid-lifter.

In a move of managerial magnificence, coach Mike Babcock shook up his forward units to start the second period and placed Captain Calgary on a line with Sidney Crosby and Rick Nash and the trio were dominant in both ends of the rink in propelling Canada past the over-matched Norwegians.

On Wednesday afternoon, the remainder of the Flames selected to represent their country in the Olympics were equally impressive as Finland easily dispatched Belarus by a 5-1 score that flattered the losing side. Miikka Kiprusoff, who could have spent the afternoon with his back to action and still recorded a victory, faced only 12 shots, many of those from outside the perimeter of play.

Newly acquired Niklas Hagman led the Finns with a pair of goals, both of which were scored in traffic with a workmanlike effectiveness that should put a smile on coach Sutter’s much-maligned mug. On his second marker, Hagman skated through a bevy of Belarus defenders before deftly sliding the puck into the cage past a beleaguered Vitali Koval.

Even Olli Jokinen, who couldn’t find the back of the net with a GPS and a bucket full of pucks during his brief tenure with Calgary, was able to dent the twine for the flashy Finns, who proved they will be a factor when the tournament reaches its second week.

For fans of the Flames, the success of the trio representing Calgary at these Games may be just the tonic needed to restore their sagging confidence and restoring the team’s confidence when the club reconvenes for the stretch drive toward the Stanley Cup playoffs.