Calgary Flames season 21/22

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 75

 

Flames 9 Yotes 1

 

Flames rout Coyotes 9-1 after clinching playoff spot

 

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By AP

Updated: 2 hours ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk each had two goals and two assists and the Calgary Flames routed the Arizona Coyotes 9-1 on Saturday night after they clinched a playoff spot before the game started.

 

Edmonton locked Pacific Division-leading Calgary into the postseason by beating Vegas 4-0 earlier in the day.

 

The Flames, 46-20-9 and sitting atop the Pacific Division, became the third Western Conference club to earn a playoff berth, following Colorado and St. Louis.

 

“It’s really difficult to make the playoffs,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. “Only half the teams in the league do it. We made the playoffs with two weeks left in the season.”

 

Dillon Dube also scored twice and Elias Lindholm had a goal and three assists. Andrew Mangiapane and Blake Coleman added goals and Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 shots.

 

Arizona led 1-0 after the first period on Nick Ritchie's first-minute goal. The Flames broke it open with four goals in a 2:33 span early in the second.

 

“We had a good first period, then they had a push in the second where they scored four goals on four shots,” Coyotes coach André Tourigny said. “We were out of it, and I think we had a tough time bouncing back after.”

 

It was the second-fastest four-goal run in Flames franchise history, behind only a 1:21 span on Feb. 10, 1993, against San Jose.

 

“It was exciting not only for us. Think the fans are fired up. We were fired up,” Gaudreau said. “At that point, it’s only a three-goal game and we needed to keep pushing.”

 

Lindholm and Tkachuk each scored their 39th goals and Gaudreau had his 36th.

 

Calgary has seven games remaining in their regular season, including two at home.

 

“We still have a lot to play for,” Tkachuk said. “We know we’re in a position now where we’re going to play a team that’s going to have been playing well going into the playoffs to make it. Home ice is huge. We’re playing for that and trying to play good hockey going into it.”

[thegx.ca]

That's the way ya Sutter Boys

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 76

 

Flames 5 Hawks 2

 

Gaudreau, Markstrom help Flames beat Blackhawks 5-2

 

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By AP

Updated: 7 hours ago

 

CHICAGO -- — Johnny Gaudreau keyed a fast start for Calgary, and Jacob Markstrom closed it out.

 

The Flames are building up some momentum ahead of the playoffs.

 

Gaudreau, Dillon Dube and Blake Coleman scored in the first period, and Calgary beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Monday night.

 

The Flames clinched a playoff spot on Saturday, and then celebrated with a 9-1 victory over Arizona. They traveled all day on Sunday, yet still had enough to hold off the struggling Blackhawks.

 

“It's a hard game to play,” coach Darryl Sutter said. “It's a game where the kids on the other side are going to come out and try and show their worth, and they did.”

 

Markstrom made 22 saves as Calgary (47-20-9) won for the seventh time in eight games. Gaudreau and Oliver Kylington tacked on long empty-netters for the Pacific Division leaders in the final 1:32.

 

“The guys battled to the end, the whole third period,” Markstrom said.

 

Chicago (25-40-11) lost for the 10th time in 11 games. Tyler Johnson and Alec Regula scored, and Kevin Lankinen made 30 stops.

 

“I didn’t mind our effort. It wasn’t a 5-2 game for us," interim Blackhawks coach Derek King said. "The first period we were sleepy, spotted them a couple of goals. After that we were all right.”

 

The Blackhawks played without Mackenzie Entwistle after the forward departed in the first period with a right shoulder injury. King said Entwistle will not travel with the team on its three-game road trip.

 

Chicago was down 3-1 when Regula's long shot from the top of the left circle appeared to go off Markstrom and into the net 12:54 into the second period. It was the first career point for the defenseman in his 13th NHL game.

 

But that was it for the Blackhawks against Markstrom and Co. Markstrom made a glove save on Reese Johnson with 4:09 left in the third, and the two empty-netters put it away for Calgary.

 

Markstrom “kept us in the game. Made some huge saves,” Gaudreau said, “like he's done all year.”

 

The Flames got off to a fast start behind Dube, who redirected Noah Hanifin's shot past Lankinen just 22 seconds in. It was Dube's fourth goal in his last three games and No. 14 on the season, extending his career high.

 

Gaudreau then made it 2-0 when he circled the offensive zone before finding a wide-open shot in the right circle, beating a screened Lankinen high on the goaltender's stick side at 6:23.

 

It was Gaudreau's career-best 37th goal and his 600th point. He had two goals and two assists during Saturday night's 9-1 victory against Arizona.

Gaudreau nearly picked up another point when he set up Calle Jarnkrok with about eight minutes left, but Lankinen made a great right pad stop.

 

Coleman's 16th goal on a well-placed tip at 14:41 lifted Calgary to a 3-1 lead after one. The Flames outshot Chicago 14-6 in the opening period.

“They’re a really good team," Regula said. “We had good moments, had bad moments.”

 

INJURY WOES

 

Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach missed his second straight game with a right shoulder sprain. King said Dach will not travel with the team for its road trip.

 

“It’s day by day,” King said. “Not sure where this is going, but hopefully he’s back soon so he can play some games for us.”

 

The return of Connor Murphy likely will be up to the defenseman, King said. Murphy hasn't played since March 12 because of the NHL's concussion protocol, and the seventh-place Blackhawks have six games left this season.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 77

 

Flames 2 Preds 3

 

ANOTHER CLOSE ONE

Flames fall 3-2 in shootout loss to the Predators

by TY PILSON @typilson / CalgaryFlames.com

 April 19, 2022

•  

If we've learned one thing this season, it's that when the Flames and Predators meet it's going to be a hard-fought game that goes down to the wire.

Trailing 2-0 in the second period, Andrew Mangiapane scored a pair but the Preds eventually won 3-2 in a shootout in the Music City.

 

These two clubs met once earlier this season, way back on Nov. 2, when the Flames had a six-game winning streak snapped in a 3-2 OT loss, Matt Duchene scoring the game-winner 1:37 into extra time. 

 

Tuesday's game was billed as a potential playoff preview, as the two teams would be playing each other if the postseason started today.

And it didn't disappoint.

 

Dan Vladar made his 15th start of the season, stopping Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene in the shootout before Mikael Granlund beat him for the winner. Vladar finished with 25 saves. 

 

At the other end of the ice, Juuse Saros denied Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Tyler Toffoli in the shootout, and made 19 saves on the night.

Despite the loss, the Flames - playing their fifth game in eight days and second in the last 48 hours - picked up a big point in their continuing quest to secure the Pacific Division crown. 

 

Meanwhile, Mangiapane's two goals were his 33rd and 34th of this breakout campaign for the young forward. He now has four goals in his last five games.

Gaudreau picked up his 108th point on the goal, while Tkachuk also got an assist, his 99th point of the year.

 

He eclipsed the career-high 98 points his dad, Keith, recorded with the Winnipeg Jets in 1995-96.

 

Keith and Tkachuk's mom, Chantal, were at the game after attending the Flames 5-2 win in Chicago Monday night. 

 

Forsberg beat Vladar but his shot clanged off the far post with 8:48 left to go in the first period on the best early chance of the night.

 

On the ensuing rush, Elias Lindholm fed it to Rasmus Andersson who snuck up into centre and he passed to Gaudreau, who slipped around Alexandre Carrier with a nifty move and tried to slid a backhand five-hole but was slashed by Forsberg. 

 

The Flames generated some pressure on the man-up but had a hard time getting pucks on Saros, recording just one shot.

 

Vladar made a 10-bell stop on Luke Kunin after a puck ended up out front in the blue paint and the Preds forward was in perfect position to hit it home.

 

It was a solid period for the netminder, who faced nine shots, while the Flames recorded five. 

 

Calgary came out flying in the second, hemming Nashville in and applying pressure, but went a man down after Tkachuk was tagged for roughing on Nick Cousins in front of the Predators net.

 

The Flames fifth-ranked PK - which came into the game at 84.1% - got the job done and killed it off.

 

Not long after, former Predator Calle Jarnkrok had his turn losing a battle with the iron, clanging one off the post. 

 

The Flames went back on the PK at 6:28 when Nikita Zadorov was whistled for a hook, Calgary getting a nice chance when Mangiapane and Toffoli had a 2-on-1 shorthanded break, Mangiapane keeping it, then toe dragging around a sliding defender but his shot deflecting high over the net.

 

The Preds then cashed in, Forsberg one-timing a pass from Ryan Johansen off the post and past Vladar at 7:23. 

 

They made it 2-0 at 12:09 when Duchene scored his 40th of the season. 

 

Mangiapane's first goal came on the powerplay at 15:13 after Gaudreau stepped into a shot and the rebound went off Tkachuk and dribbled back across the crease where No. 88 smacked it in. 

 

 

 

 

He scored his second of the night at 6:40 of the third, picking up the rebound of a Toffoli blocked shot and wrapped it around the outstretched right pad of Sarros. 

 

 

 

 

A long-distance wrister by Matt Benning went off Vladar's shoulder and then glanced off the crossbar and moments later, the Preds were whistled for a tripping minor at 12:17 but with 1:06 left in the advantage, Mangiapane was called for a interference minor putting the teams at 4-on-4.

 

The OT was wild, with Vladar making a stellar pad stop on Johnansen, then Saros stopping a backhand attempt by Gaudreau at the other end. 

With 1:12 left, the Flames were called for Too Many Men and had to kill the remaining time off before the shootout. 

[thegx.ca]

Man yeah was close, Calgary played good after 1st period but was surprised Ritchie didn't try to get revenge on Borowieski...probably saving it for playoffs since no point getting hurt before that...

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 78

 

Flames 4 Stars 2

 

Tkachuk scores 40th, Flames beat Stars to win Pacific title

 

---

By AP

Updated: 4 hours ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Matthew Tkachuk scored his 40th goal, Christopher Tanev scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, and the Calgary Flames beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 on Thursday night to win the Pacific Division title.

 

The Flames won their division for the eighth time in franchise history but just the third in the last 27 years.

 

“The team deserves it,” coach Darryl Sutter said. “They’ve been the most consistent team in the division. They deserve to win the division.”

 

Noah Hanifin and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for Calgary, which is 8-1-1 in its past 10 games.

 

“It’s an accomplishment to win the division,” Mikael Backlund said. “It’s a long season. So the guys have done a great job and I’m really proud of our team.

“We’re not satisfied. We want to do something really big here. We know we can do it.”

 

Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening scored for the Stars, who lost all three games on their Western Canada trip as they fight for a wild-card playoff berth.

The Flames will host the top Western Conference wild card in the first playoff round. Dallas has a precarious hold on the second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Vegas.

 

The Stars play their last four games at home.

 

“If we’ve got to do it the hard way, well, we’re going to do it the hard way,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said. “We get back to a great atmosphere in our rink, and we’ve got four home games.

 

“We still control our own destiny. We just have to take full advantage of it — and we’re going to.”

 

Jacob Markstrom had 21 saves for the Flames and Jake Oettinger stopped 33 shots for Dallas.

 

“We would like to have locked up our spot already. This road trip, we kind of gave some other teams some life,” Oettinger said.

 

Calgary went ahead 2-1 20 seconds into the third period when Hanifin's point shot eluded Oettinger, who was screened by Backlund.

 

The Stars answered five minutes later. Fredrik Karlstrom was stopped on a partial breakaway, but in making the save, Markstrom’s momentum carried him to out of the crease. Glendening was right there to deposit the rebound into the vacant net.

 

The assist by Karlstrom was his first NHL point in his first career game.

 

Tanev made it 3-2 at 13:05 on a point shot that deflected in off the leg of Glendening, who was battling with Backlund in front. Mangiapane's goal was an empty-netter.

 

Calgary scored first for the NHL-leading 50th time. With the Flames on the power play, Tkachuk stuffed the puck in from the side of the net at 10:06 of the second and thrust his arms in the air in celebration as his linemates mobbed him.

 

“You can tell right away when he entered the league, he was a special player,” Backlund said. “Special, character on the ice, loves scoring goals and a big-time player.

 

“He’s just been getting better and better every year and this year he’s taken it to another level.”

 

Tkachuk's goal also put the 24-year-old winger at 100 points. His previous career highs were 34 goals and 77 points in 2018-19. Johnny Gaudreau reached 100 points last week, giving Calgary two players over the century mark for the first time since 1990-91 when Theo Fleury and Al MacInnis did it.

 

“I was probably more excited about the 40 to be completely honest,” Tkachuk said. “Coolest part for me was the guys coming in, they were way more excited than I was and I didn’t think that could be possible.”

 

Robertson tied the game on the power play less than two minutes after Tkachuk's goal.

[thegx.ca]

Good Win Sutter Boys Fck Yeah

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 79

 

Flames 6 Van 3

 

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By AP

Updated: 2 hours ago

 

CALGARY, Alberta -- — Dillon Dube scored twice and Elias Lindholm got his 40th goal to lead the Calgary Flames to a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

 

Brett Ritchie, Nikita Zadorov and Johnny Gaudreau also scored to help Calgary — assured of first place in the Pacific Division —win for the ninth time in 11 games (9-1-1).

 

 Dan Vladar had 28 saves to improve to 12-5-2.

 

After scoring just four times in the first 45 games, Dube has 12 goals in his last 31 games, including six in his past six games.

 

“I just needed to be a lot better for this team going into the final stretch, I think,” Dube said. “Elevate my game to get ready for playoffs.”

Dube’s been thriving of late on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Blake Coleman.

 

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence and not just lately. If you look at it, it’s probably since the all-star break,” said Flames coach Darryl Sutter. “He’s his own worst critic and he listens, and I’m good with that.”

 

Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland and Elias Pettersson scored for Vancouver, which lost its third straight (0-2-1). Thatcher Demko finished with 25 saves and fell to 33-22-7.

 

“Disappointed,” said Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau. “What are you going to do? I’ve been around long enough. It’s been a hard push, and we didn’t get to where we wanted to go.”

 

With three games remaining, the Canucks trail Nashville and Dallas in the Western Conference wild card race by six points. Vegas is two points ahead of Vancouver.

 

“There’s no quitting in that room,” Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson said. “We’ve showed it so many times this year. Take it one game at a time and see where it takes us.”

 

After a scoreless and penalty-free first period, the Flames surged in front 2:44 into the second period with a power-play goal. Lindholm, who was clipped by a high-stick from Canucks forward William Lockwood to draw the penalty, whipped a perfect shot into the top corner after being set up by Johnny Gaudreau.

 

Lindholm’s 40th goal came one game after linemate Matthew Tkachuk reached the same number.

 

It’s the first time Calgary has had multiple 40-goal scorers in a season since 1993-94 when Gary Roberts (41), Theo Fleury (40) and Robert Reichel (40) all accomplished the feat.

 

Lindholm had been stalled at 39 for the past three games. Robbed on three glorious chances on Thursday and thwarted on another dangerous chance in the first period on Saturday, Lindholm’s look skyward when the red goal light lit up showed his relief.

 

“Last game I had a lot of chances and he made a nice save in the first period. I felt at that point, I didn’t know if I was going to get another one this season,” Lindholm said.

 

His career-best had been 29 in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season.

 

“Coming in, you always want to improve and, obviously, 30 has been a goal and a good number to reach,” Lindholm said. “Obviously I got that, so just had to keep going.”

 

With the Saddledome still buzzing, the Flames scored again 16 seconds later, with Dube one-timing a centering pass from Jarnkrok.

 

After Hughes’ goal with 1:16 remaining in the period pulled the Canucks within one, Garland tied it 5:36 into the third when he swatted Tyler Myers’ cross-ice pass out of the air and inside the post.

 

It was only tied for 14 seconds with Calgary’s fourth line producing the go-ahead goal. Chris Tanev’s point shot deflected in off Ritchie’s skate while he was jostling in front with Ekman-Larsson.

 

It was the third goal of the season for Ritchie.

 

“Biggest goal tonight by far was Brett’s. Not even close,” Sutter said.

 

“He’s a guy that I wanted back on our team last summer. I thought there was a spot for him. He’s had a couple injuries this year that has slowed him up, but I think he’s a guy that can affect the game when he plays. He can be an important guy at playoff time.”

 

Calgary then put the game away, erupting for two goals 12 seconds apart. Dube darted in off the wing and beat Demko with a backhander into the top corner with 6:27 remaining for his 16th of the season and sixth in his last six games.

 

That was followed by Zadorov's slap shot that squeaked through Demko’s pads.

 

Pettersson scored for Vancouver with 2:28 left to make it 5-3, and Gaudreau added an empty-netter with 1:39 left to seal it.

 

Game notes

Calgary is the first NHL team since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins to have four players reach 35 goals – Tkachuk (40), Lindholm (40), Gaudreau (38), Andrew Mangiapane (35) ...

 

The Flames called up Dustin Wolf from Stockton (AHL) to back up Vladar.

[Brewin Flames]

Here's hoping THE WOLF gets in at least one game while Markstrom rests.

[thegx.ca]

11 hours ago, Brewin Flames said:

Here's hoping THE WOLF gets in at least one game while Markstrom rests.

Thinking he will since Sutter always says that guys that are called up need to play and he doesn't like calling guys up and not play them.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 80

 

Flames 5 Preds 4

 

Predators make the playoffs despite 5-4 OT loss to Flames

 

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By AP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- — Matthew Tkachuk forced overtime by scoring with a second left in the third and Elias Lindholm’s OT goal secured the Calgary Flames’ 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

 

Despite losing its third straight, Nashville clinched a wild-card spot thanks to Dallas’ shootout win over Vegas.

 

Dillon Dube scored twice and Noah Hanifin also had a goal for Calgary, winners of three straight. Dan Vladar made 19 saves.

 

“What that game did for us, bringing us together at this time of year, that game did so much more for us than people would probably expect,” Tkachuk said.

 

Filip Forsberg scored two power-play goals, Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists and Roman Josi had one goal and one assist for the Predators.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” Josi said of Tkachuk's goal, which was a wraparound under David Rittich's pad.

 

“Like, doesn’t happen too often that you get scored on with 0.1 seconds. But it happened, and we have to regroup. I liked our effort. I thought we played hard.”

 

Juuse Saros made 30 saves for Nashville but left the game with 6:32 remaining favoring his left leg and was replaced by Rittich, who made three saves.

 

“I don’t have any update on him,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “He’s still getting evaluated. I haven’t talked to the trainer or anything yet, so we’ll probably have more on that tomorrow.”

 

In overtime, Lindholm picked up a rebound and beat Rittich with a wrist shot.

 

With the game tied at two entering the third, Forsberg and Hanifin traded power-play goals early, then Forsberg scored another man-advantage goal at 9:35.

 

“That’s what playoffs are … up one, down one,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. “You have to play every shift like it’s the one that will be the difference. That’s the way it works.”

 

Dube scored the game’s first goal at 4:02 of the opening period on a power play. Josi made it 1-1 at 5:41 of the second.

 

Ryan Johansen won a faceoff to Philip Tomasino, who sent a pass to Josi. He navigated to the slot and unchecked there, fired a slap shot by Vladar for his 22nd goal of the season.

 

Duchene gave Nashville its first lead at 8:08 of the second.

 

Mikael Granlund’s shot attempt from the left side tipped off the skate of Flames defenseman Christopher Tanev and landed right on the tape of Duchene’s stick on the right side, where he had an open net for his 42nd goal of the season.

 

Dube struck again at 13:14 of the second off the rush when his shot from the slot tipped off the stick of Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

 

POTENTIAL PLAYOFF OPPONENTS

 

Tuesday may have been a preview of a potential first-round Western Conference playoff matchup. The Flames are already locked in as the Pacific Division winners and will be the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

 

“Back and forth, ultimately we hadn’t beaten these guys this year, so if we do run into them, it’s nice to have the confidence that we can beat them,” Tkachuk said.

 

If the Predators finish in the top wild-card spot, they will play the Flames in the first round. Dallas and Vegas are fighting for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.

 

“Yeah, definitely don’t like each other much,” Josi said. “You can tell on the ice.”

 

600 FOR JOHNNY HOCKEY

Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau skated in his 600th career NHL game. The 28-year-old has spent his entire career with Calgary and has set career highs in goals (39), assists (72) and points (111).

His 111 points are the second-highest total in Calgary’s franchise history, trailing only Kent Nilsson who posted 131 in 1980-81.

[thegx.ca]

Calgary is the toughest team in the NHL and no other team is even close and Calgary played like it tonight beating Nashville with goals and fists - and getting revenge for Richie too

 

 

If Calgary keeps playing like this like the toughest team they actually are they will make it to the Cup.

 

One of the best wins I've seen Calgary play

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 81

 

Flames 2 Wild 3 OT

 

Kaprizov scores in OT, Wild beat Flames 3-2

 

 

The Wild outlast the Flames 3-2 after Kirill Kaprizov's slap shot finds the top corner in overtime.

---

By AP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- — Kirill Kaprizov scored a power play goal 44 seconds into overtime on Thursday to give the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.

 

With the victory, the Wild take over sole possession of second place in the Central Division. Minnesota leads St. Louis by two points with each team having one game remaining on Friday. If the Wild pick up any points in their game against Colorado or if the Blues lose at home to Vegas, Minnesota will have home-ice advantage in its first-round playoff series against St. Louis.

 

“(Calgary) looks a lot like the team we’re going to play in the playoffs — they’ve got a lot of skill, they play right, they play hard, they’re gritty,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said.

 

"So, it was a nice test to see how we played. Obviously it’s great to have this success because clearly we’ve got another one tomorrow and we’ve got an opportunity now to get to home ice. But it’s nice to reinforce a lot of things that are playoff-type hockey.”

 

Jonas Brodin and Frederick Gaudreau also scored for Minnesota. Cam Talbot, starting in net for the first time in a week, stopped 31 of 33 shots.

 

Johnny Gaudreau scored his 40th goal of the season for the Flames, who have first place in the Pacific Division. Nikita Zadorov also scored for the Flames and Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves.

 

Minnesota's 27th-ranked penalty kill unit held the Flames scoreless in four power plays, while the Wild converted both of their opportunities with the extra skater.

 

“For our (penalty kill) to perform the way it did, and the power play to win the game for us ,that’s huge and a big confidence boost going into playoffs for sure," Talbot said.

 

Early in the overtime period, Calgary's Rasmus Andersson was called for covering the puck with his hand. Minnesota won the ensuing faceoff, and 10 seconds later, Kaprizov scored his 46th of the season on a one-timer off a pass from Kevin Fiala.

 

“We got taken to the cleaners in the faceoff circles. That cost us a couple goals,” Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. “It’s the little things that are the difference — faceoffs and penalties."

 

Frederick Gaudreau broke a 1-1 tie with an unassisted goal at 11:59 of the third period to give Minnesota a late lead. Gaudreau scooped up a Calgary turnover in the left faceoff circle and beat Markstrom with a quick wrist shot.

 

However, Zadorov tied it with 2:56 to play, burying a wrist shot from between the faceoff circles.

 

Johnny Gaudreau got the scoring started three minutes into the second period. Matthew Tkachuck centered the puck from the corner and found Gaudreau at the edge of the crease. Gaudreau flipped the puck over Talbot to reach 40 goals on the season for the first time in his career.

 

Brodin tied it three minutes later on the power play. He took a pass at the center point from Frederick Gaudreau and fired a low slap shot that slipped past Markstrom, who was screened by Marcus Foligno.

 

“I thought we did a good job getting a point out of the game,” Johnny Gaudreau said. “Our power play needs to get better. PK, our special teams, I think we’ve got work to do. ”

 

INJURY UPDATE

 

The Wild played without captain Jared Spurgeon (upper body), fellow defenseman Matt Dumba (upper body) and forward Mats Zuccarello (lower body). After the game, Evason said he expects Spurgeon and Dumba back for Friday night's season finale, but Zuccarello will not return before the playoffs.

 

WAKEUP CALL

 

The Flames beat the Wild on Feb. 26 and March 1 by a combined 12-4 score, and Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin acknowledged on Thursday that the way those games went had an influence on his acquisition of center Tyson Jost, left wing Nicolas Deslauriers and defenseman Jacob Middleton prior to the trade deadline. Guerin wanted to add more heft to the lineup with an eye toward the physical grind of the postseason.

 

“I felt it just really exploited some deficiencies we had,” Guerin said of facing the Flames. “They were playing as well as I had seen a team play this year, and it was really sobering for me. We all felt that we needed to address some things, and I think we did.”

[thegx.ca]

Not as much physicality from Sutter Boys against The Wild

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 82

 

Flames 1 Jets 3

 

Connor Hellebuyck makes 32 saves, Jets beat Flames 3-1

 

---

By AP

Updated: 4 hours ago

 

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- — Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the playoff-bound Calgary Flames 3-1 on Friday night.

 

“It’s nice, but it doesn’t put a Band-Aid on anything. It still sucks,” Hellebuyck said about the Jets missing the playoffs. “But it is nice knowing that we can win and we’re not giving up, so that’s awesome.”

 

Blake Wheeler, Mason Appleton and Brenden Dillon scored for Winnipeg. The Jets will conclude the season Sunday at home against the Seattle Kraken.

Matthew Tkachuk scored his 42nd goal of the season for Calgary.

 

The Flames finished 50-22-11, going 5-0-2 in their previous seven games. They will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs.

 

Dan Vladar stopped 40 shots for the Pacific Division’s top club.

 

Appleton broke a tie at 6:06 of the second period, scoring off a rebound of Josh Morrissey’s point shot.

Appleton was asked if the team was playing for pride.

 

“It was exactly that,” he replied. “An average start, they had a couple chances but Bucky made some good saves. And then from there we poured on the shots.”

 

Dillon scored into an empty net with 20 seconds remaining.

[thegx.ca]

Playoff time Sutter Boys LET'S GET REVENGE ON THOSE GREEN NEON BASTARDS FOR LAST TIME

[thegx.ca]

That's the way Sutter Boys 15 more wins to go

[thegx.ca]

Better get revenge in Dallas you Sutter Boys you...