It wasn't just about the goal or goals that could have been scored.

Yes, getting bagelled on that four-minute power play against the Detroit Red Wings stung, admits Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla.

Even more disturbing, though, was the lack of opportunities that four-minute stretch, courtesy of Brian Rafalski's double minor for high-sticking, produced.

"You get a four-minute (power play), you'd like to get a goal, but also to get some chances and keep the momentum," said Iginla, following Monday night's 2-1 National Hockey League loss to the Red Wings.

"That was definitely a missed opportunity."

And with the Flames now three points out of a Western Conference playoff spot heading into tonight's game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche, they simply can't afford to let any more opportunities get away.

"When you play a team like (Detroit), sometimes it just comes down to puck battles and getting possession of it," said defenceman Steve Staios. "They're a real pressure-defending penalty kill. If you can keep possession of the puck and move it from side to side, you're going to get some opportunities.

"(Colorado) will be similar. We just have to outman guys on the puck and come up with the loose pucks. (Detroit) might be the best team in the league on loose pucks, and it comes down to getting some breaks in their end, and getting possession of the puck."

With the man advantage, the Flames had neither against the Wings, but that's hardly news. Their power play hasn't scored since the third period of a March 7 win at Minnesota. Since then: 13 power plays, no goals, with the low point coming Monday night when the four-minute power play produced just two shots.

"That's definitely something we should have done a lot better," said Niklas Hagman. "They're a good team; they ripped us apart on our breakouts. They had guys cheating down low, and they played with confidence. We were running around and they just made those soft plays to the middle where their guys were open, and they got it out."

So is it a lack of effort or a lack of execution? Probably, offered Hagman, a combination.

"I'm sure everybody is competing hard enough," he said. "But maybe we should at some points be a little smarter, too. If you just skate as hard as you can, end to end, it's maybe not the smartest way (to play). You have to pick your spots. Those guys like (Pavel) Datsyuk, you go really hard to hit him and they just turn their back and slide away. I'm 100 per cent sure everybody is trying their best and working hard, but as a five-man unit, we have to play a little smarter."

The sooner, the better -- the Flames have just 13 games remaining to figure out not only how to jump-start the moribund power play, but how to overtake Detroit for the No. 8 seed in the West.

And it won't be easy in Denver against a team that has won all four previous head-to-head encounters this season.

"We need a win, that's the bottom line," said David Moss. "It doesn't matter what happened in the past.

''You know what? It's going to be tough, but we have to stick to our game plan and try to do everything for 60 minutes, not just in spurts of time. (Monday, the Wings) scored two goals close to the last minute in periods, and those things kill you this time of year. We'll need a complete eff ort."

"I don't know if it really matters how we do it. We just need to win," added Nigel Dawes. "There's no other alternative. We have to win the games, no matter who we're playing, but especially against Colorado. We haven't beat them this year, but we've played them tight.

''I think we're playing well defensively, and we'll continue to do that. But we have to generate goals."