Flames, Canucks keep playing meaningless games as Stanley Cup playoffs launch
Neither the Flames nor the Canucks will make the post-season, but they re still squaring off Sunday in the first of three remaining games where the results will only count toward where the clubs rank in the entry draft lottery.
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Donna Spencer and Gemma Karstens-Smith
Vancouver Canucks Bo Horvat, right, checks Calgary Flames Nikita Nesterov during first period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. By the time the Flames and Canucks cap their regular seasons, the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins will be well into the first round of their playoff series.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh May 14, 2021 - 9:18 AM
By the time the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks cap their regular seasons, the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins will be well into the first round of their playoff series.
Another bizarre anomaly in an NHL season with a COVID-19 backdrop is two teams regular seasons overlapping with other clubs playoff series.
Rasmus Andersson, Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk supplied the offence for the homeside.
Johnny Gaudreau was stellar, getting a pair of helpers as he created offensive chances all night.
The Canucks got on the board quick, scoring just 1:02 into the tilt thanks for a fortuitous bounce.
Former Flame Travis Hamonic stepped into a shot from up high, the puck deflecting off Matthew Highmore - who was battling for position in the slot - and changing direction to beat Markstrom.
The Flames answered back, though, just 2:34 later.
Gaudreau won a foot race for a loose puck in the Vancouver zone, passed it to Lindholm and then got the return feed, setting up down low and feathering a perfect pass between the legs of Alex Edler - who was trying to block the lane - and right onto the stick of Andersson, who pinched in from the point to tip it home on the backdoor past Thatcher Demko.
CALGARY On Monday night the Calgary Flames playoff hopes were officially extinguished after the Montreal Canadiens gained a point against the Edmonton Oilers. The Flames were back on the ice this morning getting ready for four meaningless games against the Vancouver Canucks to end the season. Head Coach Darryl Sutter doesn t care if these games don t mean anything in the standings: he still has expectations. Try and win four games, Sutter said. That s how I want the team to play the last four games is to continue to make an adjustment to play at a pace and play at an execution level that you have to sustain (to succeed in the NHL).