Wild Card Race (Western Conference)

[Roof-Daddy]

Yeah, Winnipeg is in tough, especially if Calgary doesn't blow these two games against the bottom feeders.

Of course, in this race every time someone loses a couple games, and you think they are in big trouble, that team seems to bounce back and win a few losable games in a row.

[starseed]

I am still very nervous despite this being the perfect final four schedule. 2 vs the weakest teams of the conference, then 1 against each of the two teams we are fighting for a spot. This is going to be an intense and exciting finish!

[ricardodw]

The Flames barring a complete melt down or the Kings and Jets running the table will make the playoffs.

The Flames have Edm and Ari left which basically should put them up on the Jets by 5 pts.

The Flames will get into the playoffs with a lot of help from their schedule.

After they beat Edmonton and Ari one last time they will have 22 out of a possible 24 pts against teams that are more interested in losing than winning Ari-Edm and buffalo

The Jets are finished playing tankers and picked up 14 out of a possible 16 pts against them. No more "free" pts for the Jets

if the games played against teams wanting to lose were not counted the standings would be:

Team GP pts

MINNESOTA 69 81
VANCOUVER 68 80
WINNIPEG 69 76
LOS ANGELES 67 74
SAN JOSE 68 74
DALLAS 69 74
CALGARY 68 73
COLORADO 69 70

[Red Menace]

Not sure if it's been quoted previously, but just saw an interesting tweet about a possible scenario where Flames-Jets could purposely play to OT in final game to eliminate LA.
Though I doubt it would ever happen, such a scenario would certainly have both teams playing pretty conservatively.

https://twitter.com/andrewleafman/st...65106070704128

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

The Flames barring a complete melt down or the Kings and Jets running the table will make the playoffs.

The Flames have Edm and Ari left which basically should put them up on the Jets by 5 pts.

The Flames will get into the playoffs with a lot of help from their schedule.

After they beat Edmonton and Ari one last time they will have 22 out of a possible 24 pts against teams that are more interested in losing than winning Ari-Edm and buffalo

The Jets are finished playing tankers and picked up 14 out of a possible 16 pts against them. No more "free" pts for the Jets

if the games played against teams wanting to lose were not counted the standings would be:

Team GP pts

MINNESOTA 69 81
VANCOUVER 68 80
WINNIPEG 69 76
LOS ANGELES 67 74
SAN JOSE 68 74
DALLAS 69 74
CALGARY 68 73
COLORADO 69 70

Why do you assume the Flames are going to beat the Oilers and Coyotes? Yes they should but I surely hope they don't share this cocky mentality as they could easily go 1-1 against those teams or worse as the Flames are far from a perfect team. I could totally see Hiller or Ramo giving up a few of their patented soft goals against the Oilers making for an upset.

[malcolmk14]

That would be crazy, if the Jets and Flames could both make the playoffs with an overtime game. We might just be watching 60 minutes of hockey with 0 shots on net. Haha.

[White Out 403]

I just dont see LA not going 3 or 4 wins at least, and, frankly same for Calgary. I wanted it to happen this year badly but the fact is the Jets dropped so many points in games where that was unforgivable. San Jose scoring a game winner with 7 seconds left. St Louis scoring from centre. New York and Chicago, games Winnipeg dominated scoring chances only to piss away late leads. I think that by the time it comes to Winnipeg vs Calgary next week it will be solved by then, and in a bad way for us Jets fans. I hope I'm wrong.

[polak]

Yeah I'm definitely not counting those Edmonton and Arizona games as wins yet. This team is capable of train wrecks.

[868904]

The Edmonton game is incredibly scary as a Flames fan. That is the one game that means anything to the Oilers. It's the biggest game of the year for them. It's their Stanley Cup. I guarantee you Yakupov will be doing the slide if he scores. There will be a parade on Whyte Ave. if the Oilers can win this game. New statues will be erected outside the new rink.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 868904

The Edmonton game is incredibly scary as a Flames fan. That is the one game that means anything to the Oilers. It's the biggest game of the year for them. It's their Stanley Cup. I guarantee you Yakupov will be doing the slide if he scores. There will be a parade on Whyte Ave. if the Oilers can win this game. New statues will be erected outside the new rink.

Yep. I'm willing to bet MacTavish and/or Lowe visit the dressing room today or tomorrow stressing the importance of the game to the players how this could be their Stanley Cup. We know that they will have an extra jump in their step tomorrow just as we know they probably didn't feel too bad about losing last night as their lone goal is to help the Flames miss the playoffs by tanking the two games against the Kings and winning the game Saturday night. Now the Flames will have something to say about that but if they come out sloppy with goaltenders letting in soft goals and giving the Oilers lots of powerplays I can definitely see the Oilers upsetting them.

[Enoch Root]

Yeah I don't think there is any question that the Oilers will be up for this one.

[D as in David]

Diaz' injury is a concern to me. Whether Potter or Wotherspoon plays, as the home team, Edmonton will have the last change, allowing them to put their first line out against our weakened third pairing.

Does anyone know if they have a first line?

[HOWITZER]

I posted in the "how many points will Calgary finish with" thread that I thought Calgary would get to 96, but having at least gotten an OT point in St. Louis. I really think that could game could be the one that mails it in on the season. As much as we all think Edmonton/Arizona is a walk in the park, I feel as though Edmonton will throw everything at Calgary to prevent them from making the playoffs. LA's schedule is just too easy (considering their beast mode), and WPG tends to defy odds and win.

Man, i hope I am wrong. I want to be coming home in a week to a city amped for the playoffs. That's if my heart makes it through the next ten days.

[azzarish]

Originally Posted by 868904

The Edmonton game is incredibly scary as a Flames fan. That is the one game that means anything to the Oilers. It's the biggest game of the year for them. It's their Stanley Cup. I guarantee you Yakupov will be doing the slide if he scores. There will be a parade on Whyte Ave. if the Oilers can win this game. New statues will be erected outside the new rink.

It is scary indeed, but we have to approach it like it's our cup final too, our most important game of the season so far which it basically is. Treat it like a playoff game.

[Red Menace]

I too am very scared about these so called "easy" games, especially the Oilers...but if we cant beat these teams at this crucial juncture and hold off the Jets/Kings then we just don't deserve to make it I guess.
It's been such an amazing, fun season...let's hope it doesn't end in heartbreak.

[direwolf]

I'm sure the Oilers and Coyotes will have some extra jump against the Flames. But Calgary should and will be the more desperate team here (I hope). The Flames would really have to crap the bed to lose these games, and if that happens, then I agree they don't deserve to be anywhere near the playoffs. However, the coaching staff seems to have done a good job this season of not allowing this team to play down to inferior opponents. I have full confidence that the boys will be ready for these games and they'll put in the effort required to get the 4 points.

The only thing concerning me at the moment in regards to these games is our goaltending, which has been mediocre at best. Hiller played great against the Blues for the most part, but that early softie seemed to really deflate the team. If the guy can't show up ready to play, he needs his ass stapled to the bench. I'm hoping Ramo gets the start against the Oil.

[Winsor_Pilates]

From an Oilers perspective, do they enter their next game against LA looking for revenge after yesterdays embarrassment or are they happy to lose again since it increases their loser draft standings and hurts the Flames.

Sadly I can't put it past the Oilers that hurting the Flames may be their #1 goal for the rest of this season since they have nothing of value in their own endeavours.

[CGY12]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

From an Oilers perspective, do they enter their next game against LA looking for revenge after yesterdays embarrassment or are they happy to lose again since it increases their loser draft standings and hurts the Flames.

Sadly I can't put it past the Oilers that hurting the Flames may be their #1 goal for the rest of this season since they have nothing of value in their own endeavours.

I'm not worried one bit about the oilers, whether they want to put a hurt on us or not. These are in fact the Oilers we are talking about, the worst franchise in professional sports. If the Flames show up, play hard, play desperate, they will win. Nothing the Oilers do will change that fact, its all about how the Flames play.

[azzarish]

I think the Canucks will likely beat the Jets tomorrow. Irrespective of that result our game is a must win.

[hockey.modern]

Originally Posted by azzarish

I think the Canucks will likely beat the Jets tomorrow. Irrespective of that result our game is a must win.

Every game is a must win till the end.