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Flames Try to Stay in Wild-Card Race vs. Sharks: Underdogs on a Mission
The Calgary Flames head to San Jose for a Monday night matchup that could make or break their postseason aspirations. While the San Jose Sharks sit at the bottom of the standings, this game is anything but a gimme for a Flames squad desperately trying to stay afloat in the Western Conference wild-card race.
Flames Refuse to Fold: Fighting to the Finish
Coming off a heartbreaker of an OT loss to Vegas, the Flames still managed to snag a critical point. The 3-2 defeat on Saturday wasn’t just unlucky—it was downright cruel, with the winning goal deflecting off a Calgary defender’s skate and into the net.
Captain Mikael Backlund didn’t sugarcoat it: “Tough bounce. Huge point though. The boys battled.”
And battled they did. After a sluggish first period, the Flames clawed back from a 2-0 hole, proving their hunger. That point could be the one that keeps their playoff dreams alive.
As of Sunday night, Calgary sits six points behind the Minnesota Wild, who currently hold the West’s final wild-card spot. But here’s the kicker: the Flames have two games in hand. That makes this matchup against San Jose—and the next against Anaheim—absolute must-wins.
Goalie Dustin Wolf summed up the locker room vibe: “We’re the underdogs. Everyone said we’d fall flat this year. But we’re fighting. And we’re not done.”
Sharks Struggle, But Youth Movement Shows Signs of Life
On the other side of the ice, San Jose continues to muddle through a tough rebuild. The Sharks have dropped five straight and are 3-10 over their last 13. Saturday’s 5-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken was another blow in a season full of them.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky was candid postgame: “We were sloppy. Our start looked okay, but every chance they got seemed to go in. That’s a tough one.”
Despite the result, there were silver linings. Rookie Macklin Celebrini hit a milestone, tallying his 34th assist of the year—tying him with franchise legend Pat Falloon for most by a Sharks rookie.
Will Smith, who netted the lone goal against Seattle, was visibly disappointed: “That’s not what we wanted in front of our fans on a Saturday night. We’ve got to be better.”
William Eklund, another promising young piece, showed his fire—literally—when he dropped the gloves late in the game. “We’re battling,” he said. “We love every guy in this room. It’s tough right now, but we’re gonna fight next game.”
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Calgary’s Must-Win Mentality vs. San Jose’s Spoiler Role
This game’s narrative is simple: Calgary must win. A loss to the league’s worst team could end their postseason hopes. But the Sharks aren’t just going to roll over. With nothing left to lose, San Jose is playing the spoiler—and they’ve got the youth and grit to do it.
If the Flames can shake off the sting from Vegas and bring that second-period fire from Saturday, they’ve got a golden opportunity to stay alive. But anything less than 60 minutes of locked-in hockey could spell disaster.
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