Calgary Flames News: It All Comes Down to This
The Mark Giordano-less Calgary Flames Continue Their Cinderella Story with Four Games Left in the NHL Season
As the NHL season comes to a close, the Calgary Flames find themselves in an epic battle for the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. For many reasons, the Flames have outdone themselves and sitting one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings is truly an incredible feat. However, if the Flames were to fall into the Wild Card race, they would have to deal with the overly-stacked Central Division, as the 95-point Minnesota Wild and 90-point Winnipeg Jets are holding on to the two available spots for dear life.
In terms of claiming the final Pacific Division spot, the Flames are in a pretty good position. The only team with a legitimate shot are the defending Stanley Cup Champions, who are one point back with five games left to play. Of those five games, the Kings will play three on the road against the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and the Flames. As for their final two home games, the Kings will play the Colorado Avalanche tonight and the San Jose Sharks next week.
While the Kings’s schedule looks favorable for the defending champs, the Flames have a pretty easygoing schedule as well. After playing the Oilers tonight on the road, the Flames return home for games against the Arizona Coyotes and the Kings before finishing the season on the road against the Jets nest week.
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If the Flames can win both games against the Oilers and the Yotes, they should have a good chance at sneaking in even if they lose to the Kings. The Jets play five games in the coming week and will take on the Canucks at home tonight. Starting Monday, the Jets hit the road for three games against the Wild, St. Louis Blues and the Avalanche before returning home to finish the season against the Flames. Of all the schedules mentioned, the Jets have the most difficult by far, which should help the Flames or Kings secure the last wild card spot.
Many assumed the Flames would fade away after the season-ending bicep surgery for captain Mark Giordano. However, it seems his presence has not been lost even with his absence from the ice. According to the Calgary Herald, Giordano has been a major part of the team since his injury and has continued to provide leadership and guidance in the dressing room. He makes it a point to speak with struggling players and ensures his presence is felt off the ice. Clearly, the Flames have flourished under his captaincy and they will need him the most for the final four games of the season.
After losing Giordano to injury, the Flames have been extremely resilient and have demonstrated an incredible will to win. The Flames may not be a Stanley Cup-caliber team but have proven how strong a group they have put together. With very little to gain in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, the Flames seem poised to finish the season on a very high note, which should set the stage for an even more impressive NHL season next year.