FLAMES IN CONTROL OF OWN DESTINY
A Hollywood ending Thursday? Could very well be. But maybe not for the fading starlets from the City of Angels.
“Somebody said that,” blurted goalie Jonas Hiller. “Not sure if it has to be in regulation or not.” A helpless shrug. “There’s so many things going on, it’s tough to keep track. Somebody said the Oilers were up ...
“In the end, we’ve gotta win one of those last two games.
“I’d rather do that on Thursday and go to Winnipeg knowing that you make the playoffs.”
While the reigning Stanley Cup champion L. A. Kings were letting their crown slip badly up in Edmonton, the Calgary Flames were getting their business done at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
A 4- 2 L. A. loss to the punchingbag Oilers coupled with Calgary’s nervy 3- 2 of the equally- downtrodden Arizona Coyotes has the Kings on the ropes and the Flames holding the whip. The permutations are simple: Beat Darryl Sutter’s bunch and Bob Hartley’s overachievers earn an embossed Gary Bettman handsigned invite to the playoff party. Their first in six years.
Lose, in either regulation or OT/ SO, and both sides march resolutely on to Saturday and Game 82, with Calgary in Winnipeg to face the surging Jets and L. A. set to face the feckless San Jose Sharks.
So best not leave anything to chance, gents.
On Tuesday, the Flames nutted up when it counted as the Coyotes, with a league- low four wins since Feb. 10, kept hanging around on the strength of another superb night from puck- repeller Mike Smith.
Twice pinned back on goals by Johnny Gaudreau and David Moss, Arizona fought back to equalize only to be beaten by a Sean Monahan strike at 9: 26 of the third period.
Sailing into the offensive zone, Monahan slammed on the binders in the high slot, defenceman Andrew Campbell skidding past, and snuck a shot high past Smith’s glove hand to nail down Calgary’s 44th win of a spellbinding season.
“Huds ( Jiri Hudler) made a great play at the blueline to hold the puck up and lay it in there for me,” said Monahan of his 31st goal. “Johnny Gaudreau drove the net hard and I tried whatever I can do to get a shot. “Fortunately, it went in.” That goal offset a rather unusual game- tying effort from Arizona left winger Craig Cunningham that left Hiller, caught trying to play the puck in the corner to his left, blushing.
“Ah, he bails it us out all the time,” said Monahan. “He’s played great for us so it’s up to us to help him out whenever we can.”
To the Coyotes’ credit, they certainly made the locals work their tails off for a win that has them one win away from punching their ticket to the playoffs. Down twice, given their sealed fate, the Desert Dogs could’ve just packed up the picnic basket and headed home.
Instead, they were up to the task.
“That’s a team with a lot of pride,” praised Flames’ defenceman Kris Russell. “They work hard. They showed that in the second ( period). I thought they were the better club in the second. We were better in the first and it was kind of a toss- up in the third.
“It’s a big win. A big play by Monny. Being a young player in a position like that, with the kind of confidence he has, and the patience, it’s pretty special. We’ll take it. We obviously have to improve in our next two games.
“It’s seemed like the last two weeks every team we’ve played is in the hunt or trying to play spoiler. The next two are big teams that like to play a physical game so we’ve got to get our speed going.”
Close. So close that, while still unwilling to talk the possibility up, they undoubtedly can taste it, reach out and touch it. The golden prize they’ve aimed at since September.
The ol’ Saddledome will undoubtedly be rocking on Thursday. What a script. Knock off the defending champs to cement your spot? Doesn’t get much juicier than that.
“Yeah,” agreed Hiller. “It’s great that we still have it in our own hands but again, we have to beat either L. A. or Winnipeg. L. A., we’ve proven that we can win against them and we just have to do it again.
“It’s a great matchup ( Thursday). We’re excited.”
They have every right to be.