It’s not a high-profile matchup by a longshot, but tonight’s Flames-Coyotes game in Glendale is worth watching nonetheless.
In case you haven’t noticed — and we won’t blame you if you haven’t — both teams are making a run at the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Starting with Calgary, if the Flames can follow up last night’s win over San Jose with a victory tonight, they’ll leapfrog the Coyotes and Wild and move into eighth place in the conference (though the Wild would have two games in hand).
Earlier in the week, Flames captain Jarome Iginla spoke confidently about his team’s postseason chances.
“I think we’re going to be a playoff team. I believe that,” he told reporters.
Iginla also suggested that if the Flames can sneak in, they could make a run.
“I don’t think there’s any favorite front-runner,” he said. “I think if you make the playoffs, you have a shot.”
The Coyotes, meanwhile, have won three in a row, outscoring their opponents (San Jose, Detroit and Dallas) 12-5 in the process.
So yeah, tonight’s a big game.
Good seats are probably still available.
Related: Trading Doan unlikely, but Coyotes GM won’t rule it out
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A breakdown of Kings vs. Devils.
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Also: air horns.
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Anze Kopitar’s run to Stanley Cup finals creates “pretty big buzz” in Slovenia
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If you’re there and rooting against the Kings, you’re one serious contrarian.
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Reports: Ducks might file tampering charge regarding Justin Schultz
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Another rumor points to Schultz becoming a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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That Penguins-Flyers series made things kind of screwy.
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Reasons to root for the Kings, Devils in 2012 Stanley Cup finals
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For those who don’t have a horse in this race.
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Top prospect Grigorenko looks forward to making future teams look bad for skipping him
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He might go second overall in the draft or as late as 20.
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You know you were wondering the same thing, don’t deny it.
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James Reimer didn’t exactly cut it but is he the answer?
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“Perhaps we had all been convinced we would win before the tie actually started. And that might also have been a problem.”
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DeBoer: “He’s here to win. He’s a team-first guy. He’s very unselfish and he’s just a great person.”
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Here are three guys from each team to consider and vote on.
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It dates back to 2004 in junior hockey in Kitchener, Ontario.
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Lou Lamoriello couldn’t be happier to have the Devils back in the finals
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‘We’ve had teams that had success during the regular season, but just couldn’t get through the playoffs for some reason.”
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The Blue Jackets captain is looking at getting dealt at the draft or after July 1.
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PHT Morning Skate: Where the Kings are the oddsmakers’ favorites
May 27, 2012, 9:55 AM EDT
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A bit of motivation for New Jersey thanks to the gamblers? That and more in the Morning Skate.
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Should the Devils surrender their 2012 first-rounder to the NHL?
May 26, 2012, 11:11 PM EDT
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They still owe a pick as punishment for their initial attempt to sign Ilya Kovalchuk.
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Parise helped convince Devils to let players sleep at home before playoff home games
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There was a time when they would stay in hotels in the postseason even before contests in New Jersey.
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A rundown of the some of the most noteworthy winners.
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Either one will best New Jersey in 1995, who won after capturing the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed.
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