Flames Fire Up Victory, Dashing Wild's Playoff Hopes
In an electrifying matchup, the Calgary Flames triumphed over the Minnesota Wild with a score of 4-2, effectively halting the Wild's quest for a playoff spot. Nazem Kadri netted his 32nd goal of the season during a power play in the second period, contributing significantly to Calgary's victory.
Currently, Minnesota and St. Louis are holding onto the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference, sitting three points ahead of the Flames. The stakes were high, and Calgary made sure to capitalize on the opportunity.
Alongside Kadri, Mikael Backlund, Yegor Sharangovich, and Ryan Lomberg also found the back of the net, helping the Flames establish a commanding 4-0 lead. Goalie Dustin Wolf was solid in net, making 16 saves and only conceding late goals to Yakov Trenin and Gustav Nyquist.
On the other side, Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 shots for Minnesota before being replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury after Lomberg's goal at 7:20 in the third period.
With this loss, Minnesota has now dropped six consecutive games on the road (0-4-2), while Calgary has managed to earn points in five straight outings (3-0-2).
Calgary's momentum surged early in the second period when Sharangovich and Kadri scored within two minutes, extending their lead to 3-0. Notably, this victory marked the first time since the 2016-17 season that Calgary swept the season series against the Wild.
Looking ahead, the Wild will face off against Vancouver on Saturday night before wrapping up the regular season at home against Anaheim on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Flames are set to host San Jose on Sunday night, aiming to keep their playoff hopes alive.
