As the season goes on, a separation will typically occur amongst teams. Some pull away and appear to cement themselves a playoff spot early on; others do the exact opposite. The Coyotes fall in the latter category – and if the Flames still want to hold any playoff hopes at all, they absolutely had to win this game, no excuses.
Top guns jump out
Johnny Gaudreau had his seventh three-point game of the season (including a four-point game) to help him reclaim second in NHL scoring. Nikita Kucherov, with 80 points in 61 games, apparently can’t stop, won’t stop scoring; Gaudreau, with 73 in 62, needs to keep it up to stay in range.