Calgary Flames keep their playoff hopes alive with victory over Winnipeg Jets

Spring is within the air, which implies one crucial factor for hockey followers: will my workforce make the playoffs?

Andrew Mangiapane and Nikita Zadorov every had a purpose and an help because the Calgary Flames stored their playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

The Flames (37-27-15) and Jets (43-32-3) each have 89 factors, however Winnipeg maintains its maintain on the second Western Convention wild-card spot as a result of it has the higher profitable proportion.

The Jets have 4 video games remaining, another than the Flames.

Walker Duehr additionally scored for the Flames, who misplaced to Chicago the night time earlier than however are 5-1-0 of their previous six video games. Jacob Markstrom stopped 33 photographs.

Kyle Connor scored for the Jets, who misplaced for the primary time in three video games and are 3-3-0 of their previous six video games.

Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves in his NHL-leading 61st begin and tenth in a row.

The Jets have one other vital recreation on Saturday once they host the Nashville Predators, who’ve 86 factors and 5 video games remaining.

Winnipeg led 1-0 after the primary interval and it was tied after the second.

The opening interval featured loads of energy play time for each groups.

The Flames had two powerplays 13 seconds aside early within the interval, however solely acquired one complete shot on purpose.

Their first-man benefit got here after Jets middle Pierre-Luc Dubois was known as for boarding. He checked Rasmus Andersson on the again as they raced for the puck and slid the defender into the boards behind the online.

Followers then booed Andersson each time he touched the puck throughout Calgary’s energy play, and even generally later within the recreation.

The Jets took a four-minute man benefit after Flames ahead Milan Lucic was double-minored for a excessive stab at 9:07. Winnipeg cashed in.

Connor took a go from Nikolaj Ehlers and fired a one-timer that beat Markstrom on the glove aspect at 11:42. It was his thirty first purpose of the season and prolonged his purpose streak to a few video games.

Winnipeg outscored the guests 9-7, then killed off the penalty to begin the second.

The Flames had a purpose by Zadorov waived for goalie interference at 4:38 of the second.

They scored one which counted lower than two minutes later when Mangiapane scored his seventeenth of the season at 6:06.

Tempers flared within the center interval and extra penalties have been handed out, together with Markstrom being known as for unsportsmanlike conduct for hitting Dubois within the head along with his blocker.

Winnipeg was 1-for-5 on the facility play after 40 minutes, whereas Calgary was 0-for-4. Pictures on purpose have been 21-20 in Winnipeg’s favor.

Ten seconds after the Flames misplaced one other man benefit, Duehr scored a pin at 4:08.

Zadorov sealed the victory when Hellebuyck did not seize a excessive shot that flew previous him at 10:40.

NOTES:

Flames ahead Mikael Backlund assisted on Mangiapane’s purpose, giving him a career-high 54 factors this season (18 objectives, 36 assists). … Dubois’ help on Connor’s purpose was the three hundredth level of his NHL profession. … Ehlers stretched his scoring streak to a few video games with three objectives and two assists. … Mark Scheifele performed in his 720th recreation with the Jets/Atlanta franchise, transferring previous Toby Enstrom for third in video games performed.

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