Head Tale

With two games left in the season, the Calgary Flames can clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2009 and also eliminate the Stanley Cup defending LA Kings if they beat the Kings tonight.

(Since so many Canadian teams – Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg – all have playoff implications tied to the Kings, fans of those teams have joked about project #regicide to work together to eliminate the Kings.  But it was an unlikely Canadian ally – the Oilers – who did the most damage when they registered an extremely rare victory over the Kings in a game earlier this week to set up the potential fatal blow by Calgary tonight.)

I’ll likely write more about it later but I’ve got to say this year’s Calgary Flames team has provided perhaps the most amazing season of NHL hockey I’ve watched in my life!

Here’s a summary of tonight’s game borrowed from CalgaryPuck…

Flames: 44-29-7, 95 points, 3rd in the Pacific, 8th in the West, 15th in NHL.

Kings: 39-26-15, 93 points, 4th in the Pacific, 9th in the West, 18th in NHL.

Alright, this is it. I’ve been waiting since 2009 for another playoff game. I was at the last playoff game against Chicago where we lost in game 6 at home; 2nd row on the goal line. I was heartbroken that day, and I’ve been melancholy around the middle of April every year since. It’s time. It’s our time. The Kings had their time. They used it well. However, this year, we deserve it more. The Kings don’t even have 40 wins yet. They have more than double the amount of “loser points” than the Flames. More than that, they lost a key game to the Edmonton Oilers. Any team that does that at this time of year doesn’t deserve to be in the playoffs: “plain simple”, to quote our beloved coach.

So let’s forget all the numbers, all the stories, all the history of the season that got us to this point. It’s a simple as this: Win and we’re in. Lose and you have to take your chances with another playoff hungry team in the Jets in the very last game of the season. I would really rather not have to do that.

Make no mistake about it, the ramifications of tonight’s game mean everything to the Kings. Their season is on the line. Any regulation loss in the next 2 games and they are done. They have to win out, AND get help to get in the playoffs. Their backs are against the wall, and we know by now what happens with this team when they are facing elimination. Last year alone in the playoffs, they were 7-0-0. However, that team had 100 points and also featured Voynov and Mitchell in the top 4. Their road record was also just as good as their home record, both having 23 wins. The Kings have been abysmal on the road this year, only managing a 15-17-8 record away from the Staples Center, and even if they win tonight they will be below .500 on the road for the year. That’s not good enough for today’s NHL as no team currently in the playoffs has a road record under .500.

Here are the possible scenarios for tonight’s game and what they mean for the playoff race:

Flames win in regulation: That’s it. It’s over. BOTH the Flames and Jets clinch a playoff spot, making Saturday’s games meaningless. Obviously this is the most ideal scenario.

Flames win in OT or shootout: Flames are in. Kings have a chance only if the Jets lose in regulation to the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings then have to beat the Sharks on Saturday and hope the Flames beat the Jets in regulation on Saturday.

Kings win in OT or shootout: Flames would need at least one point against the Jets on Saturday to clinch a playoff spot. Kings would still need to win against the Sharks and it would then depend on the Jets’ results against the Avalanche. If the Jets lose in regulation or overtime, the Kings would need the Flames to beat Winnipeg on Saturday.

Kings win in regulation: Flames need to win in regulation against the Jets to clinch. If the Jets win in any fashion tonight the Kings are still eliminated. An OT/SO loss to the Avalanche means the game on Saturday between the Flames and Jets will determine all 3 team’s fates. This is obviously the least ideal, but the most exciting.

Current chances at playoffs: Jets-93%, Flames-85.5%, Kings-21.6%.

Roster Notes: All of Lance Bouma, Raphael Diaz, Paul Byron, and Karri Ramo are currently listed as day-to-day, but I wouldn’t expect any of them to play tonight. Joni Ortio is now practicing with the Flames, indicating he might be back in the next week or so and be available in case Ramo is out longer. No updates on whether Bennett plays anytime soon. Andrej Sekera and Tanner Pearson are both out for the remainder of the season for the Kings, but those are the only missing regulars from their lineup. Interestingly, Slava Voynov had surgery on his achilles tendon the other day, definitively ending his season regardless of his court case.

Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler
Ferland-Stajan-Jones
Raymond-Backlund-Colborne
Bollig-Granlund-Jooris

Russell-Wideman
Brodie-Engelland
Schlemko-Potter

Hiller

Kings
Gaborik-Kopitar-Williams
King-Carter-Toffoli
Lewis-Stoll-Brown
Clifford-Shore-Nolan

Muzzin-Doughty
Regehr-Martinez
McNabb-Greene

Quick

Let’s commit regicide.