The bird, without a doubt, will taste better if they’re riding another hot streak instead of trying to digest a string of losses.
“You’d like to enjoy some Christmas turkey with some wins,” nodded Calgary Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan.
That’s not the only motivation, though, for their final assignments before the NHL’s short-but-sweet holiday breather.
Before they clean the chimney or leave milk and cookies out for Santa, the Flames have a hat-trick of rivalry games against Pacific Division opponents — Monday’s clash against the Coyotes in Arizona, Tuesday’s showdown with the Sharks in San Jose and a home faceoff with the Vancouver Canucks just one night before Rudolph & Co.