After consecutive beatings to end their road swing, the Flames are in must-win territory for their long, long, long-shot playoff hopes
The New York Islanders were 10 points back of the Detroit Red Wings heading into their meeting on Feb. 29. The Islanders today are ahead of the Red Wings for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot — tied with 62 points but with a game in hand. New York also sits two points back of the Philadelphia Flyers with two games in hand.
While the Red Wings have lost five straight in regulation time, the Islanders — who claimed a 5-3 victory that night — head into Monday night’s road clash with the Los Angeles Kings not only looking to move ahead of Detroit, but also catching the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
How does that relate to the Calgary Flames? Well, it proves anything is possible and things can change in a hurry. Heading into Tuesday’s action, the Flames are eight points behind both the Vegas Golden Knights (who one the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot) and 10 behind the Pacific Division’s third-place squad, the Los Angeles Kings.
Is it possible the Flames, who would also need to vault a few other clubs over their final 18 regular-season games, can pull off a miracle run while at least one other team completely free falls and make the playoffs? Definitely not if they don’t turn things from the back-to-back weekend beatdowns: 5-1 to the Florida Panthers and 7-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Flames in those games looked as sluggish as we all did Monday morning from turning the clocks ahead one hour.
“It's not one you want to replicate again, that's for sure,” coach Ryan Huska told the media on-hand after the Carolina crushing.
“We just got out-played, out-competed, out-everything. Just an awful effort all around,” Blake Coleman added.
According to moneypuck.com, the Flames have a 5.5% chance of making the playoffs. Had they not traded away their key pending unrestricted free agents, especially defencemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, their chances would have been different. Without one of the best second-pairings in the league, it’s nearing impossibility territory.
Beyond their next couple of clashes, the Flames actually have a less difficult schedule, so a run may happen, although it most likely will do nothing but cost them spots at the draft. What happens will be a mettle test as much as anything. As much as fans want teams to plummet down the standings, organizations do not want players to accept losing, fearing it becomes a stench that takes an eternity to be ridden.
Only time will tell how they respond, but from the ashes of their loss in North Carolina, the Flames are vowing to give their best the rest of the way, or at least until they are officially done and dusted from playoff contention.
“I've gotten my ass kicked plenty of times in this league. It's how you respond,” Coleman said “Our leadership group will make sure that that showing never happens again.”
