Only 1958-59 Maple Leafs have overcome 5-point deficit within final 4 games to clinch
© Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images
By Aaron Vickers
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames still hold a flicker of hope when it comes to qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Flames (38-27-14) trail the Minnesota Wild by five points for the first wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference and are four back of the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card. To stay alive, they need to avoid a regulation loss to the San Jose Sharks at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; SN360, SN1, SNP, NBCSCA).
Calgary has two games in hand on Minnesota and St. Louis.
"Obviously, we've got to take care of our business, first and foremost," Flames forward Ryan Lomberg said. "We have to win all our games. If we don't, it's a missed opportunity. And we need a little bit of help from the outside.
“It [stinks] that we're kind of in this position where we don't totally control our own fate, but we can set ourselves up in a good position and apply some pressure to the teams ahead of us."
The Wild, who lost 4-2 to the Flames on Friday, rallied for a 3-2 overtime win at the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. The Blues erased two one-goal deficits against the Seattle Kraken before losing 4-3 in a shootout.
Those results gave Calgary, which has three games remaining, little margin for error.
"If there's any team that just won't go away, it's this one," forward Blake Coleman said. "We've found ways to continuously stay in the fight and give ourselves a chance. You certainly don't want to be relying on scoreboard watching this time of year, but that's the reality of our situation and we'll do what we can to control our part."
The Blues would clinch a playoff berth Sunday if the Flames lose in regulation. The Wild are in with any type of Calgary loss.
Alternative endings leave the door cracked slightly open. The Flames have only lost twice in regulation in their past 13 games (8-2-3).
"Every game for the last little while has been so important," forward Morgan Frost said. "You go into every game with that same mindset. I feel like we've played pretty well for a little while here. I think there's been a game or two in between where we've slipped up, but the belief is good."
After hosting the Sharks on Sunday, the Flames remain home to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday before their regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
“We take care of what we can control, and that’s our game, as well,” Coleman said. “I think we feel like when we’re at our best and we’re playing the way we need to play and we know we can play, we’re not too concerned about who is on the other side. And that’s just how this league is, anybody can beat anybody on a given night and if you don’t bring your A-game, you’re generally going to pay for it."
Should they find a way in, the Flames would become the second team in NHL history to overcome a five-point deficit within their final four games to clinch a playoff berth.
The other? The 1958-59 Toronto Maple Leafs.
"If it all works out for us, we're going to be in a good position," Lomberg said. "We're going to be a team one of the top teams aren't going to want to play because we're going to be on a bit of a heater coming in. Playoff hockey's a different animal; the games are a lot tighter, there's a lot less offense, a lot tighter checking, not as many penalties ... it kind of fits our group here.
"It's something that we're all aware of, that we're not just looking to get into the first round. We're looking to make some noise once we get in."
