For variety, we bring you the Calgary Flames.

With a 4-1 loss in San Jose last night, Calgary continued its bewildering pattern of following a win with a loss - or vice versa - that has characterized much of an admittedly difficult January schedule.

Calgary has played nine of 14 games on the road so far this month, criss-crossing the continent east/west and north/south so many times they may occasionally forget not only the time zone they're in but also what climate to dress for when they walk out of their hotel.

That may account for the fact the Flames seem to have fallen into the unnerving habit of following a spectacular win with an equally spectacular loss on a far-to-regular basis, their thorough domination of Phoenix the night before anchored by a fairly anemic performance against the surging Sharks.

The Flames haven't won consecutive games - or lost consecutive games - since beating the Rangers and Islanders in New York in early January as they've rung up a 6-7-1 record in what may be the toughest part of their schedule this year to date.

The loss leaves the Flames at 25-18-4-3 on the season, stuck at 57 points, one behind St. Louis for fifth spot in the NHL's tight Western Conference.

Flames are one point up on seventh place Nashville and two points up on eight place Dallas, Calgary having two games in hand on the latter. The ninth place LA Kings were still playing earlier in the evening.

San Jose came out firing on all cylinders, piling on the Flames through the opening 15 minutes with only the strong play of beleaguered Roman Turek holding the Sharks to a one goal edge, Mike Rathje' screened shot from the slot beating the Calgary starter at 6:49.

Flames tied the game at 3:09 of the second when Martin Gelinas lofted a shot that managed to deflect off Christian Ehrhoff in front of San Jose goaltender Evgeny Nabakov.

Marco Sturm sprang the surging Patrick Marleau loose for a breakaway marker that squirted through Turek's legs at 9:54 of the second, the eventual game winner.

Marleau then put the game out of reach at 17:09 of the third, Sturm stripping Flames defenceman Rhett Warrener of the puck and feeding Marleau for the final killing stroke.

Scott Thornton added a meaningless empty net marker in the final seconds.

Although the Sharks carried the bulk of the chances, Calgary was not without opportunity but San Jose was very effective in containing second chances and forcing the Flames into low percentage areas.

In short, one team was paying the price and the other wasn't, also a characteristic in most Flames losses this month.

"They got pucks in, they were jamming the net and scoring goals," analyzed a matter-of-fact Jordan Leopold on Fan960 after the game.

After surrendering only 12 shots to Phoenix the night before, tying a club record, Calgary allowed 35 to the Sharks, including an 11-1 advantage to San Jose to open the game, and it was all Turek could do to hold off the Bay Area hordes to keep this one close until late into the third period.

Calgary's only real surge came courtesy of the referees late in the first period when they received a series of power plays and managed to apply enough pressure to cause Nabakov to at least break a sweat, the Sharks netminder eventually ending the game with 18 saves.

San Jose has lost only three times in regulation in its last 19 home games.

Flames were zero for three on their powerplay opportunities while the Sharks failed to score on four man advantage chances.

For a team that desperately needs a win, there can be no greater gift than Chicago in the Saddledome on Friday night to start a lengthy five game Calgary homestand, the Hawks losers of 18 straight on the road.

Then again, that kind of streak becomes more statistically improbable the further it goes. Some unlucky team is bound - soon - to be the victim.

But . . . . if the Flames follow their pattern, it will be their turn to win yet again.