The Calgary Flames (35-26-4, 74 points) have won six games in a row to hold a wild card spot in the West by a seven-point cushion above the first outsider.
The New York Islanders (30-22-11, 71 points) have cooled off a bit since their rebirth when Doug Weight took over as interim head coach, but they’re still 6-3-1 in their last 10 to hold the East’s final wild card spot by a single point over the idle Maple Leafs.
So, this afternoon’s meeting in Calgary poses higher stakes than many would’ve expected a couple of months ago, or back when they met in late November, a 2-1 overtime win for the Isles in Brooklyn.