Calgary Flames Coach Geoff Ward Lets Loose On Team Following Bad Loss To Vancouver

It's been a frustrating stretch recently for the Calgary Flames, who are treading water at 8-7-1 and sitting fifth in the North Division.

Head coach Geoff Ward had finally seen enough of a lack of effort from his team on Wednesday night, and he didn't mince words about it.

"Inconsistent I think is probably the best way (to describe the four-game set against the Canucks), but we've been talking about it for a while now," Ward told reporters after the loss.

"It's time to put this thing to bed and take charge and take control of what we can," he continued. "We certainly can control the way start, we certainly can control how we pay attention to details, how hard we compete, how much we care.

"All those things are certainly within our control. It's time for us to start giving a s*$t about it."

The Flames were soundly beaten by the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday 5-1, and were outscored 12-9 over a four-game series split with the Canucks.

The team has been up and down since the season started, win one, lose one, win two, lose two.

Calgary appeared to be ready to turn the corner on Wednesday. They cut into a Vancouver lead late in the second period, making it 2-1, but then as has happened so many times this season, the team allowed two goals in 37 seconds to basically put the game out of reach.

"The two late goals, I mean, they're killers, obviously," Ward lamented.

"After we got the game to 2-1 it's the same thing again. It's not what you make all the time, it's what you leave. And to leave those opportunities that we gave them after making the hockey game 2-1, it's inexcusable."