Final
  for this game

Flames-Canucks Preview

Apr 9, 2010 - 4:59 PM By JUSTIN EINHORN STATS Senior Editor

Calgary (40-31-10) at Vancouver (48-28-5), 10:00 p.m. EDT

Both the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames enter the regular-season finale with nothing to play for. Only one of them is happy about it.

The Flames take the ice for the final time this season Saturday night as they face the team they couldn't catch for the Northwest Division crown in a visit to Vancouver.

The Canucks (48-28-5) are locked into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, having won a second straight division title and fourth in six years, though it's unclear who their first-round opponent will be.

It was Vancouver's 4-3 shootout loss to Colorado on Tuesday that officially eliminated Calgary (40-31-10) from playoff contention, with the Avalanche wrapping up the West's final postseason berth. The Flames would have stayed alive if they hadn't lost 2-1 to San Jose earlier that night, though they also fell 2-1 in a shootout to Minnesota on Thursday.

Calgary wasted a 5-on-3 power play in the third period en route to its third straight defeat.

"That's kind of been the story of late, getting a lot of opportunities and a lot of shots and just not being able to find the back of the net," said Nigel Dawes, who assisted on the tying goal in the second period. "That's probably one of the bigger reasons why we're in the position we're in today."

The Flames, who last won a division crown four years ago, will finish with their worst record since 2002-03 - also the last time they failed to make the playoffs.

However, Calgary could win the season series with its division rival, having won three of the first five meetings. The two most recent matchups were in Vancouver, with the Flames winning 3-2 in a shootout on Jan. 9 before the Canucks won 3-1 on March 14.

Henrik Sedin has two goals and five assists in the season series, and he may need a big game to help his chances of becoming the first Vancouver player to win the scoring title. He enters the weekend with 108 points, including 12 in the last eight games, but is in a close battle with Alexander Ovechkin.

Sedin has 79 assists and should finish as the league leader.

One of those came on Pavol Demitra's goal in a 4-2 loss to San Jose on Thursday, when top goaltender Roberto Luongo and defenseman Sami Salo were given the night off.

"The cards weren't completely aligned for us tonight," goalie Andrew Raycroft said. "We're a little short on the back end and we were trying not to get hurt. We could have mailed it in but the guys kept battling."

If Luongo is back in net, he will have a chance to finish with 40 victories for the second time in his career and first since he won 47 in 2006-07. He's lost five of his past seven starts while posting a 3.49 goals-against average.

Counterpart Miikka Kiprusoff has a 1.79 GAA in his last five games and is among the league leaders at 2.25, but he enters with 35 wins and will finish with his fewest in five seasons as Calgary's No. 1 netminder.






  • 5
    roots
    MattDOOM777 Added 5 roots

    Flames 3, Canucks 7  FinalApr 11 3:11 AM


  • -------------------------------------------
    Calgary
    1 1 1 --3
    Vancouver 3 1 3 --7
    -------------------------------------------

    FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Vancouver, Rick Rypien 4 (Matt Pettinger,
    Steve Bernier), 03:39. 2, Vancouver, Kevin Bieksa 2 (Daniel Sedin,
    Henrik Sedin), 07:44. 3, Vancouver, Daniel Sedin 27 (Henrik Sedin,
    Kevin Bieksa), 09:43. 4, Calgary, Nikl

    Apr 11 12:34 AM


  • -------------------------------------------
    Calgary
    1 1 1 --3
    Vancouver 3 1 3 --7
    -------------------------------------------

    FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Vancouver, Rick Rypien 4 (Matt Pettinger,
    Steve Bernier), 03:39. 2, Vancouver, Kevin Bieksa 2 (Daniel Sedin,
    Henrik Sedin), 07:44. 3, Vancouver, Daniel Sedin 27 (Henrik Sedin,
    Kevin Bieksa), 09:43. 4, Calgary, Nikl

    Apr 11 12:34 AM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 3
    VANCOUVER 7 02:28 LEFT, 3RD PRD

    Flames 3, Canucks 7  3rd - 2:28Apr 11 12:30 AM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 3
    VANCOUVER 6 02:56 LEFT, 3RD PRD

    Flames 3, Canucks 6  3rd - 2:56Apr 11 12:29 AM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 2
    VANCOUVER 6 16:13 LEFT, 3RD PRD

    Flames 2, Canucks 6  3rd - 16:13Apr 11 12:02 AM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 2
    VANCOUVER 5 16:28 LEFT, 3RD PRD

    Flames 2, Canucks 5  3rd - 16:28Apr 11 12:00 AM


  • --------------------------------------
    Calgary
    1 1 --2
    Vancouver 3 1 --4
    --------------------------------------

    FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Vancouver, Rick Rypien 4 (Matt Pettinger,
    Steve Bernier), 03:39. 2, Vancouver, Kevin Bieksa 2 (Daniel Sedin,
    Henrik Sedin), 07:44. 3, Vancouver, Daniel Sedin 27 (Henrik Sedin,
    Kevin Bieksa), 09:43. 4, Calgary, Niklas Hagman 24 (Matthe

    Apr 10 11:37 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 2
    VANCOUVER 4 13:43 LEFT, 2ND PRD

    Flames 2, Canucks 4  2nd - 13:43Apr 10 11:11 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 2
    VANCOUVER 3 16:09 LEFT, 2ND PRD

    Flames 2, Canucks 3  2nd - 16:09Apr 10 11:07 PM


  • ---------------------------------
    Calgary
    1 --1
    Vancouver 3 --3
    ---------------------------------

    FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Vancouver, Rick Rypien 4 (Matt Pettinger,
    Steve Bernier), 03:39. 2, Vancouver, Kevin Bieksa 2 (Daniel Sedin,
    Henrik Sedin), 07:44. 3, Vancouver, Daniel Sedin 27 (Henrik Sedin,
    Kevin Bieksa), 09:43. 4, Calgary, Niklas Hagman 24 (Matthew Stajan,
    Ales Kotal

    Apr 10 10:44 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 1
    VANCOUVER 3 06:22 LEFT, 1ST PRD

    Flames 1, Canucks 3  1st - 6:22Apr 10 10:32 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 0
    VANCOUVER 3 10:17 LEFT, 1ST PRD

    Flames 0, Canucks 3  1st - 10:17Apr 10 10:26 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 0
    VANCOUVER 2 12:16 LEFT, 1ST PRD

    Flames 0, Canucks 2  1st - 12:16Apr 10 10:21 PM


  • NHL
    CALGARY 0
    VANCOUVER 1 16:21 LEFT, 1ST PRD

    Flames 0, Canucks 1  1st - 16:21Apr 10 10:16 PM