Wild Will Douse Flames Playoff Hopes Tonight

Wild vs. Flames, 10:00 ET

It has been quite a while since I played an NHL game, and the season is reaching the finish line. Playoff spots are being clinched, teams are being eliminated, and there is jockeying for position still. The teams in tonight's game both are still looking to try and make the playoffs. If the season ended today, the Wild would make the playoffs via the Wild Card, and the Flames would be on the outside looking in. 

This season hasn't gone perfectly to the Wild, but the team is at least in control of their own destiny. They are 43-29-7 for the season. They have also actually been pretty good on the road this year with a 22-12-5 record overall. This is even more impressive when you look at some of their numbers for the season. They have scored 2.75 goals per game, but they are allowing 2.89 goals against per game. I have to wonder how many playoff teams allow more goals then they score. They also are taking about two fewer shots per game than opponents. Over the last five games, the Wild have been just 2-3, but competitive in pretty much all of them. They may have been in the strangest game of the season, too. In their last game, they won 8-7 in overtime. That's a baseball score, not a hockey one. The guess is that Filip Gustavsson is going to be in the net. He has put together a very nice year with a 30-18-6 record and a 2.54 goals against per game average. He also has a .915 save percentage, good for sixth in the league.

Apr 9, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA;  The puck shot by Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (not pictured) gets past Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) and goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) for the winning goal during the overtime period Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Flames are battling for a playoff spot, and are a few games behind the Wild and another team. A win here could go a long way in moving up the standings. The Flames are 37-27-14 for the year with a 20-12-6 record at home. Similarly to the Wild, they are not scoring as many games per game as they are allowing. It is actually a bigger disparity between the numbers than that of the Wild. The Flames have scored 2.59 goals per game, but are allowing 2.91 per game. They do take more shots per game than they allow, so it seems like the quality of their opponent shots are better than the ones they are taking. Also like Minnesota, they are just 2-3 over their past five games, but they are competitive in each game. Tonight they will probably put Dustin Wolf in the net. He has been pretty solid for the Flames with a 26-16-8 record and a 2.64 goals against per game average, and a .910 save percentage. 

The Flames were the winners of the first two games between the two teams, but he did allow four goals to them in the first game that he had against them. Tonight I think the Wild have the better goalie in the net, and despite the number of goals they've allowed recently, I do think they have a better team overall. The Flames are desperate, but the Wild are also looking to lock up that playoff spot so it isn't like this doesn't matter to them. Back the Wild on the moneyline. 

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