Oh, boy. Here’s hoping your night is free. Tonight’s game between the Calgary Flames and Las Vegas Golden Knights is going to rattle some hinges.
Let’s start by taking a look at the wildcard race pertaining to the Pacific Division.
Vegas’ best shot at making the playoffs is by seizing the LA Kings’ spot for third in the division. Three points behind, two games in hand, and six wins in their last eight games.
Not to mention team captain Mark Stone has returned to the lineup after some cap wizardry by GM Kelly McCrimmon. The right winger has 13 points in 14 games against the Flames across his career.
Jack Eichel is back in form, defenceman Shea Theodore has five goals in his last six outings. The Golden Knights as a whole have their offence producing at a rate of 4.25 goals for per game over their last eight. That’s good for 5th in the league over that time.
The team directly below them in that stat over that same time period? The Calgary Flames at 4.00GF/GP.
The engines are running. How about their defence?
Better than the Flames again.
The Golden Knights have allowed 2.50 goals against per game played. 5th in the NHL. The Flames 2.70 for 8th.
Mind you this is all since March 24th. Essentially post-deadline. Another way of looking at it is since the game Dadonov awkwardly returned to the lineup after having his trade voided and then put up three points in his return.
The Calgary Flames aren’t exactly cold either. Five straight wins capped by a two goal comeback, Matthew Tkachuk hat trick, and Johnny’s 100th (and 101st) point on the season.
This game carries with it so much implication. The opportunity to devastate the playoff chances of a divisional juggernaut.
A statement game for a team trying to claw back in by leaving the Saddledome saying:
“We just beat you in a meaningful game and we’ll do it four more times when we see you in the playoffs.…
Oh, boy indeed.
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Markstrom
Stockton Shuffle Jusso Valimaki showed in his appearance against the Sharks that he has some areas in his game that he needs to work on. The 23 year old was assigned to the Stockton Heat this morning.
The Heat also brought in Jack McNeely on an amateur tryout yesterday. The 6’3… 187lb defenseman just finished up the Frozen Four with the University of Denver Pioneers. His team reached the final, but lost to Minnesota State 5-1.
McNeely is a right shot and recorded 17 points in 44 NCAA games this season. He was a three year teammate of Connor Mackey and both defensemen are 25. Jack also played with preseason star Walker Duehr in four seasons in Denver as well as a season with the Tri-City Storm.
And so the Midwest Mafia was formed in the Flames organization. McNeely, Duehr and Mackey are from Lakeville, Sioux Falls and Tower Lakes respectively.
Another Way Taking the Kings playoff spot certainly isn’t the only way for the Golden Knights to make the playoffs. Dallas or Nashville could lose a few in a row and certainly make a game of it.
Jack Manning (@NHLJackManning) makes another point:
That would be what we call a “best case scenario…. The Oilers play Nashville, Vegas and Dallas in their next three games. They’re coming off two straight losses. Imagine if they got cold at this time of the year.
Enjoy the game,
Trevor Neufeld
Statistics courtesy of naturalstattrick.com and nhl.com. @Trevor_Neufeld