Sutter: Slumping Flames not playing with enough emotion

Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter believes his club needs to play with more passion in order to snap out of an extended slump.

The Flames dropped a season-worst fourth straight game Thursday at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, a listless 4-1 defeat.

"The big thing is with our team, I'd like to get in some sort of rhythm of playing games. I don't think there's enough disappointment when they lose and just not enough emotion in our game right now," Sutter said, according to Kristen Anderson of the Calgary Sun.

The loss to the Senators was Calgary's eighth in its last 10 contests. Over that span, the Flames have been outscored 39-26.

"We've got some guys that are on the ice for too many goals against the last little, while which is a concern," Sutter said. "I just think the emotional level of our group has been lacking for a period of time now."

The Flames' skid has dropped them out of the Western Conference playoff picture, but they're only three points behind the Los Angeles Kings for third place in the Pacific Division with three games in hand.

Sutter's group returns to the ice Tuesday versus the Florida Panthers.