The Calgary Flames lost their last game of the regular season to the San Jose Sharks. They still clinched the first wildcard spot tonight.
The Calgary Flames lost the last game of the regular season tonight against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks took this one 3-1. However, the Nashville Predators also lost tonight which means the Flames are officially in the first Wildcard spot. They’ll face whoever’s first in the Pacific Division – either the Anaheim Ducks or the Edmonton Oilers.
Flames Twitter is heavily favoring playing the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have to win tomorrow night while the Ducks have to lose in regulation in order for there to be a Battle of Alberta – something that hasn’t been done in the playoffs since 1991.
But on to tonight’s game, to be quite honest, it wasn’t the most intense game I’ve ever watched. And many people agreed. It seemed somewhat boring, if you will, and the Flames didn’t quite have the intensity the fans would have liked to see.
Calgary Flames
But there were a lot of firsts!
You get a first! You get a first! Everybody gets a first!
Two players made their NHL debuts tonight: D Rasmus Andersson and G David Rittich. Rittich started in the third period when the Calgary Flames made a goaltending switch to give him a chance to play. He let in one goal on 10 shots, but that goal was hardly his fault. It deflected off of Dennis Wideman‘s stick in front of the net and there was nothing Rittich could do about that.
Wow, a goal happened because of Dennis Wideman? I know, I’m shocked too.
Curtis Lazar, who was acquired on a trade deadline trade, got his first goal tonight as a Flame. He now has three points in four games as a Flame.
All in all, like I mentioned, there lacked a bit of urgency in the Flames tonight. They may have felt a little too comfortable because no matter what – win or lose – they were going to be in the first wildcard spot.
Next: How will the Flames fare against the Blackhawks?
Another fun fact about tonight was Matthew Tkachuk getting a $212K bonus for his assist tonight. Meaning he has enough money to pay my tuition. Pay up, Matty.