"Olli Jokinen credits Wayne Gretzky, of all people, for giving him the secret recipe to snap out of a slump.

The Great One passed on the sage advice to the big Finn when he was the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

In simple terms, the solution espoused by No. 99 is to forget about hockey for a night and indulge in a culinary delight not necessarily endorsed by the Canadian Food Guide.

Specifically, a burger.

"Yesterday I was thinking, 'maybe it's time,' " Jokinen said Friday night in the victorious Calgary Flames dressing room. "If the Great One tells you to go get a burger, you better go do it, you know?

"I had a Big Mac Meal at McDonald's."

The two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, onions and pickles on a sesame-seed bun proved the right elixir. Jokinen scored for the first time in 16 games to lead the Flames to a crucial 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

In the department of unbelievable stats, the Hawks have played four games in Alberta this season and lost every one.

Keep in mind, the Flames (24-22-6) are just two games over .500 and fighting for their playoff lives. The Oilers

(20-26-5) are in the running for their third straight lottery draft pick."