The Flames have five games left. Can they make the post- season for the first time since 2009? Jamie Dirom sizes up the situation.

1 They’re in control of their own destiny.

In recent weeks, the Flames have been in and out of a playoff position — battling the rival Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets. Monday and Tuesday were good to the local boys. While the Flames held on for a win against the Dallas Stars on Monday night, the Kings fell to Chicago. Then on Tuesday, the New York Rangers did the Flames a favour by toppling the Jets. The result? Calgary now owns a three- point lead over the Kings ( who still have a game in hand) and a one- point lead over Winnipeg. If they win out, they’re in.

2 They’re fighting for one of two spots. There are two playoff positions the Flames could occupy.

Third place in the Pacific Division ( if they finish with a better record than the Kings), or the second Wild Card slot ( if they finish with a better record than the Jets). If they take the Pacific Division spot, they’ll almost certainly match up against the Vancouver Canucks. In the Wild Card spot, they would face the top team in the Western Conference — currently Anaheim, but it could conceivably be Nashville, too.

3 They have the easiest schedule of the three teams.

The Flames’ opponents have a combined .510 winning percentage — the easiest home stretch among the three teams. The Kings’ schedule is marginally tougher, at .512. Meanwhile, the Jets’ final five games are relatively challenging — their opponents have a .605 record. Of course, sometimes “easy” on paper isn’t easy in reality: The Dallas Stars had lost 39 games heading into Monday night’s tilt with the Flames, but came into the game red hot, at 8- 2 in their previous 10 games. The Oilers, coming up on Saturday, are 5- 3- 2 in their last 10.

4 The Flames own the tiebreakers.

With 38 wins in regulation and overtime, the Flames can’t lose a tiebreaker against the Jets ( who have 32 wins with just five games left). The Flames also have a threegame advantage over the Kings in that category.

5 The schedule maker was a genius.

In the end, the race may come down to the final three days of the regular season, as the Flames face the Kings at the Saddledome on April 9, and then go to Winnipeg to close out their season.