Sport Recap: Flames 4, Wild 2 – NHL.com

Minnesota might have clinched playoff berth with win
CALGARY — Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund every scored, and the Calgary Flames held on to win 4-2 towards the Minnesota Wild at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.
Calgary moved to inside three factors of Minnesota and the St. Louis Blues for the wild card berths into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Convention with one fewer recreation performed than every.
“It solely issues if we hold it going, however it’s necessary for our group to be in these significant video games this time of yr and to discover a strategy to win them,” Flames ahead Ryan Lomberg mentioned. “I believed tonight was most likely certainly one of our greatest, most full video games. And that claims lots about our group. It doesn’t imply a lot if we are able to’t do it once more, however we now have the boldness inside one another to maintain going.”
Lomberg and Yegor Sharangovich additionally scored for the Flames (38-27-14), who’ve factors in 5 straight (3-0-2) and 7 of eight (4-1-3). Dustin Wolf made 16 saves.
“We nonetheless should battle,” Wolf mentioned. “We’ve to win video games. It doesn’t matter how we get in, however we’re clearly going to want some assist from outdoors sources and clearly we have to take management of our personal recreation right here the final three and discover a strategy to get them. However this one definitely helps.”
MIN@CGY: Kadri buries a laser for PPG and 3-0 lead
Yakov Trenin and Gustav Nyquist scored for the Wild (43-30-7), who’ve misplaced 5 of seven (3-0-4). Filip Gustavsson allowed 4 objectives on 29 photographs earlier than being changed by Marc-Andre Fleury, who made three saves.
“I do not suppose we as a group carried out to a degree we anticipate in a recreation like this,” Minnesota ahead Mats Zuccarello mentioned. “It is disappointing for positive. This time of yr goes fast and it’s a must to neglect about it fast, speak tomorrow, most likely present some video, and get again at it. We’ve to win a hockey recreation.”
The Wild, who might have clinched a playoff berth with a win, play on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
“The factor is when you’ve gotten a powerful id and what provides you the most effective probability to win, when that is clear what it’s however there must be a dedication to that,” Minnesota coach John Hynes mentioned. “To me, the final two video games, the dedication to enjoying the way in which that you must win and the way in which that we have to play to win, wasn’t at a excessive sufficient degree. We have to ensure that that is there tomorrow.”
Backlund put Calgary up 1-0 at 16:25 when he chipped in a rebound after Blake Coleman threw the puck on internet from a pointy angle following a misplayed clearing try by Gustavsson.
MIN@CGY: Backlund buries rebound for recreation’s opening objective
Sharangovich pushed the result in 2-0 at 5:31 of the second interval with a tip of Martin Pospisil‘s shot by Gustavsson’s blocker on a rush probability.
Kadri made it 3-0 at 7:23 with a power-play objective on a wrist shot from the highest of the suitable face-off circle.
Lomberg stripped Marcus Johansson of the puck at Calgary’s blue line and shot low blocker by Gustavsson on the following breakaway to make it 4-0 at 7:20 of the third interval. Fleury relieved Gustavsson after the objective.
“Tonight we had been the second-most aggressive group on the ice,” Hynes mentioned. “That is not likely who we’re and who we have been however we have to ensure that’s going to be totally different tomorrow evening.”
MIN@CGY: Lomberg scores on breakaway for 4-0 lead
Trenin scored to chop it to 4-1 at 15:39. He beat Wolf blocker facet on a breakaway after forcing Adam Klapka right into a turnover on the high of the Wild zone.
Nyquist scored on a shot from the slot previous Wolf’s blocker with 1:30 left and Fleury on the bench for the additional attacker for the 4-2 closing.
“It is the identical mindset,” Backlund mentioned. “We’ve to get pleasure from this now however tomorrow we are available and it is a new day. We have got to win the subsequent recreation. However we positively helped ourselves tonight with a giant win and put strain on the opposite two groups for tomorrow.”
NOTES: Calgary might turn into the second group in NHL historical past to beat a five-point deficit inside their closing 4 video games to qualify for the playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs achieved the feat in 1958-59. … Backlund handed Sean Monahan (212) and moved right into a tie with Al MacInnis (213) for the seventh-most objectives in Flames historical past. … Flames ahead Matt Coronato had his three-game objective streak finish (three objectives) however prolonged his level streak to 4 video games with an help on Kadri’s objective.

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