Colorado Avalanche dampen Calgary Flames playoff hopes 4-1 -NHL Update
Calgary Flames lost their second straight matchup, this time to Colorado Avalanche to further diminish their hopes of making the playoffs, 4-1, Friday night, March 30, 2012, at the sold-out Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Sadness could be seen on over 19,000 fans in the stadium wishing for their team to bounce back but now with only three games remaining and four points behind eighth place Phoenix Coyotes with 85, Calgary has barely any room left to make a push for it.
Colorado is also fighting for a playoff position and earned those crucial two points that elevated them in a tie with San Jose Sharks for the ninth spot, now only below Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars by a single point at 88.
Getting their first win after four consecutive losses, Colorado is eccentric to get back into the playoff race.
"We're so excited after this game because we win and get two points and still have a chance to play in the playoffs," Colorado goalie, Semyon Varlamov, said. "We'll see what happens in the next five, six days. The five teams play each other so we just need
to wait.
Avalanche have two more games remaining and both are certainly a must win if Colorado wants to do it right after a disappointing 2010-2011 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season in which they ended last.
Mark Olver made the inaugural goal of the night on a breakaway unassisted past Calgary goalie, Miikka Kiprusoff. David Jones followed closely to widen the gap with his 19th of the year at 10:56.
Milan Hejduk added the third straight midway through the second while Jarome Iginla, captain of the Flames team, hoped for a miracle with their first goal on a power play with less than 40 seconds remaining. His goal was washed away with another Colorado
one only five seconds later as Calgary pulled its goalie out for an extra shooter.
Colorado has a long weekend ahead as they face Columbus Blue Jackets at home on Thursday, April 5th, and will definitely be looking to win.
"We've got five days off now until our next game. We're just going to have to wait and see what happens," Colorado coach, Joe Sacco, said. "Certainly, our young group has played hard all year and I think we deserve to be in this position that we're in down
the stretch."
Hoping for all other teams to lose, Calgary will need to win their remaining three for a final push into the playoff elite-eight line-up but have it tough with the next two against Vancouver Canucks on Saturday and the following Thursday.
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