Must-Win For Both Teams

I haven't written a lot about the Winnipeg Jets this season mostly because I still feel that the problems that a lot of people associated with the former coach - the one whose new team is in the same spot as the Jets in fighting for their playoff lives - were attributed to the wrong person. Yes, his systems and his philosophy were part of the problems, but it's no secret that a new coaching staff has the Jets in the very place every pundit expected them to be this season. While systems and philosophies have changed, the core of this team has not. What has the Jets possibly looking at a playoff spot, however, might be the shortcomings of one other team who is chasing them.

The Calgary Flames had an opportunity to move into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets tonight in points with a win over the 32nd-ranked Chicago Blackhawks. Yes, the last-place-in-the-standing Blackhawks. As every coach will remind their players, any team can beat any other team on any given night, but the Flames had every reason to be focused on this game against the league's worst team as their playoff hopes could improve drastically with a win.

A pair of goals in the first period and a pair of goals in the third period were enough for the Blackhawks to erase the single goals in each period by the Flames as the 32nd-overall Blackhawks downed the Calgary Flames 4-3 tonight. The loss keeps the Flames two points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, and those two teams will meet tomorrow with Winnipeg holding one game in-hand.

That's a massive opportunity missed by the Flames, making tomorrow's contest with the Jets into a bit of a "must-win" for the Flames. Coincidentally, Jets head coach Rick Bowness alluded to that type of situation today.

"Tomorrow night is probably going to be like a Game 7 for both teams," Bowness said following the Jets' 35-minute practice on Tuesday. "Win or lose, you're not eliminated, for sure. There's still three for them, four for us after. But that's the mentality both teams will probably have going into the game."

As confusing as Bowness's statement is, tomorrow legitimately becomes a must-win for the Flames at this point in the season. If the Jets prevail in tomorrow's game, they move four points ahead of Calgary with four games to play. Calgary, meanwhile, has to make up four point over their final three games of the season. What makes things even uglier, though, is that if Winnipeg wins, Calgary loses the season series to Winnipeg and the chances of making the playoffs in the southern Alberta city fall to nearly zero.

If Calgary were to win, though, they'd move into a tie with Winnipeg and hold the season series tie-breaker over the Jets. They'll still need some help from other teams, but Calgary's final three games see them battle the Canucks in Vancouver, play Nashville at home, and close out their season at home against the San Jose Sharks. The Flames could end Nashville's playoff hopes in their head-to-head, but the Flames should be aiming for three wins in those final three games as if they were playoff games. A loss in any of those three games could be catastrophic, but it may not matter if the Flames lose tomorrow to Winnipeg.

The Jets need a win to not only put immense pressure on the Flames, but they'll move within a point of Seattle for the first wild card position as they look to improve a potential playoff matchup. The Jets will play Nashville at home, San Jose at home, Minnesota St. Paul, and Colorado in Denver to close out their season. It seems fairly clear that the Jets have a tougher finish to their season than the Flames, so winning tomorrow would considerably help their cause in making the playoffs.

The loss tonight to the Blackhawks makes tomorrow game so much bigger for both the Jets and Flames that it could be considered a Game Seven between these two teams. If the Flames win, the race to the finish favours them. If the Jets win, they hold a significant edge over the Flames for one of the final two playoff spots. It's nearly a win-and-you're-in type of game between the Flames and Jets, and both teams should be playing like there is no tomorrow. If you wanted a game with a playoff-like atmosphere, we should see one tomorrow at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.

"It's as close to a must-win as you'll get in the regular season. It's a huge game," Adam Lowry told reporters following practice. "The last two games, the way we've gotten off to fast starts it's going to be important we jump on them. They play tonight. Hopefully we can have some of the same success we've had in the first period the last couple games."

We'll find out if the Jets can take advantage of a Flames team playing on back-to-back nights and after a stunning loss to the Blackhawks on Tuesday when they hit the ice at 7:30pm CT on Sportsnet. One of these two teams is going to miss the playoffs, so tomorrow night is essentially a "play-in game" for the playoffs. It should be a beauty, and the playoff picture may become much clearer following the final horn in downtown Winnipeg.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!