51ºÚÁÏ

The intrepid Calgary Flames refuse to quit, so the Blues can't relax.

The Blues will face a win-or-else scenario when they host the Utah Hockey Club Tuesday night. The Western Conference wild card playoff race has extended into the final days of the season.

The Flames defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2 Sunday, so they have 92 points with two games to play. The Blues have 94 points heading into their finale. The Minnesota Wild have 95 points heading into their last game, Tuesday night against Anaheim.

The Blues could earn the first wild card slot, earn the second wild card slot or miss the playoffs, depending on what the three teams do with their closing games.

The Blues own the tiebreaker over the Flames, so they control their fate. They’re in if they win Tuesday night.

But they might have to win, because the Flames have made a late push, going 4-0-2 down the stretch. The Blues left the door open for them by gaining just one of a possible six points on their three-game road swing.

The Flames are trying to race through that door into the bracket.

“I think at the end of the day, we need to get in,� Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. “We believe in our group and we're in this position for a reason. We want to get in. Hopefully the chances come and we at least have a chance to get in until the end. That's our goal.�

Like the Blues, the Flames are blending in younger players with their veteran nucleus. They are too good to blow up the roster and start over, so, like the Blues, they are competing and retooling at the same time.

They managed to stay in the chase while operating on the same twin tracks the Blues are traveling.

“It's super exciting,� Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said. “It's a lot of fun playing these games. You get ready for games mentally all year long, and they talk about the dog days . . . we've been in the dog days for I can't even tell you. We've been playing meaningful games, and it's going to continue like that now. If we make playoffs, it just carries on.�

At the very least the Flames, like the Blues, have built collective confidence that should carry forward into next season as they keep retooling.

“I think there's a lot of poise, a lot of poise in the dressing room,� Huberdeau said. “Everybody's pretty calm. I wouldn't say everybody's loose, but everybody's talking to each other about what needs to be done better. We're so confident in that third period in a tight game right now. We've been in that situation so many times.�

Here is what folks are writing about the NHL:

Victoria Matiash, “If there's anything to take away from the Blues' sizzling run since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, it's that this team can compete with anyone, now that they're fully bought in to Jim Montgomery's system. The reliance on Robert Thomas to continue contributing two points every game might be the only factor removing then from keeping company with the strongest contenders.”

Jeff Paterson, Daily Faceoff: “The sense out here is that (Rick) Tocchet has a self belief. He’s the reigning Jack Adams winner, for a few more months at least. It sounds like he has a dollar figure in mind that perhaps he has put in front of the Canucks and they haven’t matched it because if they wanted to lock this thing up and have Tocchet under contract moving forward, you’re right, it should have been done by now. Clearly there has been a holdup. To his credit, Tocchet has said his sole focus has been on trying to make the playoffs, so he has sort of skirted around any questions about his future here. That’s understandable, and I think we in the media and the fanbase have respected that, that his job is to try to get the most out of this hockey club. But now that they have the little ‘E’ next to their name when you look at the standings, this becomes the front burner issue for the Canucks.�

Mike Zeisberger, : “In the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs, which will kick off next weekend with new, vibrant storylines and fresh, emerging stars, the same questions that are two decades old loom over the Toronto Maple Leafs. What is different about this edition of the team? Why should fans be confident that these Maple Leafs can buck a history of playoff disappointment that has seen the franchise win just one series in the previous 19 seasons despite the current presence of elite talents like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Wlliam Nylander? How are Toronto’s loyal supporters supposed to buy into hope when so many good regular season finishes have abruptly ended with crushing early-round eliminations? Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving understands the weighted history but prefers to focus on his team’s efforts to make some of its own this spring . . . In the end, Toronto’s season will be gauged on how the team fares in the postseason.”

Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic: “The defending champs are still the league’s most feared team — even if they’ve limped to the playoffs over the last few weeks. Sure, they have a gantlet ahead of them, but this team is absolutely stacked from top to bottom and will have a healthy Matthew Tkachuk ready to roll for Game 1. No team has a better combination of star power and depth, or offense and defense. They’re the Cup favorites for good reason and a relatively easy first choice.�

Ryan S. Clark, : “The best thing Boston did this season was lean all the way into a rebuild. It was inevitable that after a decade of perennial playoff contention the Bruins were going to take a step back -- and take stock. GM Don Sweeney's early coaching change -- from Jim Montgomery to Joe Sacco -- didn't give Boston a boost, and by trade deadline it was smart for Sweeney to be a big-time seller. The Bruins acquired valuable draft capital -- including four picks in the first and second rounds -- and they added some intriguing new faces such as Casey Mittelstadt and Fraser Minten. Some burgeoning late-season chemistry between David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie is a nice bonus for the Bruins as a potential pairing to watch.”

MEGAPHONE

“That’s why we’re in the position that we’re in. I mean, we faced a lot of adversity all year long, whether it be injuries or things like that. And tonight was a game where we needed to get it back and get back to who we are. Proud of the team and glad that we found a way to get the two points.�

Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes, after his team rallied to win 3-2 in Winnipeg Saturday night.