Calgary Flames can still make the playoffs if one of these two scenarios plays out
So, you’re telling me there’s a chance?
The Calgary Flames are hanging on by a thread in the Western Conference playoff race, but their hopes are quickly dwindling.
Although the Flames are coming off a critical victory over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night, they are still trailing the St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot. Calgary sits just below the cutline with 90 points and three games remaining on their regular-season schedule. Meanwhile, the Wild are holding onto the top wild-card spot with 95 points, while the Blues are sitting pretty with 94 points.
That doesn’t leave much wiggle room, as the Flames can only grab a maximum of 96 points if they win all three remaining games. Luckily, the Wild and Blues have just a single game left on their schedule.
So, where does that leave things for the Flames? They will need to have a strong finish to the season and even then, things aren’t guaranteed.
NHL.com
To pass Minnesota, Calgary needs to win all three of their remaining games, and the Wild must lose their last game against the Anaheim Ducks in regulation.
To catch the Blues, the Flames need to go 3-0-0 and have St. Louis lose their last game against the Utah Hockey Club in overtime/shootout. They can also pass St. Louis by going 2-0-1 and the Blues losing in regulation.
If Calgary can rattle off three more wins and get some help from either one of the Ducks or Utah, they could leapfrog one of those wild-card teams. Those last three games come against the league-worst San Jose Sharks tonight, the Pacific-Division champion Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, and then the LA Kings on Thursday.
The Flames will be eliminated if they suffer one more regulation loss, which could come as early as tonight.