FGD #82: The End

It’s all over but the crying for the Calgary Flames. After tonight’s final game with the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, it’ll all be over.

This is Game 82. There’s nothing on the line for either club. The Flames are giving a few new kids a first crack at the NHL. The Wild are trying to keep things rolling along as they await a tough test in the first round of the playoffs. It’ll be a bittersweet game for the Flames, focused on the future but haunted by the recent past.

Join us in saying goodbye to the 2015-16 season when the puck drops at 5pm MT on City TV and Sportsnet 960 The Fan, won’t you?

There wasn’t a morning skate today, so here’s the lines from last game via Daily Faceoff:

The Flames are without Grant, Engelland and Nakladal tonight, so here’s my guess at how lines could look:

Shinarkuk – Monahan – Gaudreau
Stajan – Backlund – Colborne
Ferland – Bennett – Jooris
Bollig – Elson – Shore

Giordano – Hamilton
Kylington – Brodie
Jokipakka – Sieloff

Veteran Niklas Backstrom starts in what will almost definitely be his 413th and final NHL appearance. He’s 1-2-0 with a 4.16 goals against average and .871 even-strength save percentage. He played the vast majority of his career in Minnesota, and it’s pretty nice he gets his last start there. For those tracking at home, the Flames are without Karri Ramo, Ladislav Smid, Dennis Wideman, Deryk Engelland, Jakub Nakladal, Lance Bouma, Michael Frolik and Derek Grant for tonight’s game. Turner Elson, Patrick Sieloff and Oliver Kylington make their NHL debuts.

Look at how happy they are!

Projected lines via Daily Faceoff:

With nothing on the line, it’s still likely that Devan Dubnyk starts. He’s 32-26-6 with a 2.35 goals against average and .930 even-strength save percentage. He’s been quite good and is one of the reasons they’re headed to the playoffs. Minnesota is locked in to second wild-card spot. They’ll play either Dallas or St. Louis in the first round. They’re just trying to maintain momentum and not get injured.

This is the third and final meeting between these teams this season. The Flames have lost both games against Minnesota this season: 5-3 in Calgary in February and 6-2 in Minnesota in March.

All-time, the Flames are 42-26-14 against the Wild.

Calgary plays Minnesota. Winnipeg plays Los Angeles. Columbus plays Chicago. In the event any of these two teams tie, regulation/overtime wins is the first tiebreaker (it’s the column after points).

It’s Game 82! This painful season is almost mercifully over. Crack your beverage of choice open and watch, judging the Flames new, young players as you go. And then go to the store for more beverages, because we won’t have “meaningful” hockey to discuss until October.