Minnesota Wild vs. Calgary Flames Recap (L)

🏆 Final Score🏆
Minnesota Wild 2 – Flames 4

💬 Water Cooler One-Liner:

The Wild had a shot to punch their playoff ticket in Calgary—but the Flames lit the fire first and held on despite a furious late push from the Wild.


📊 Quick Hits – Game at a Glance:

• Winner: Ryan Lomberg (Breakaway goal, third period)

• Turning Point: Sharangovich and Kadri scored 1:52 apart early in the second, stretching Calgary’s lead to 3-0.

• Standout Stat: The Wild were outshot 32-18 and went 0-for-2 on the power play.

• Goaltending Anchor: Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 shots before being relieved by Marc-André Fleury.

🔑 3 Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Missed Opportunity: The Wild could have clinched a playoff berth with a win. Instead, they dropped their sixth straight road game and let the Flames gain ground.

2️⃣ Special Teams Slip: Minnesota failed to convert on two power plays—including a brief 5-on-3—while Calgary cashed in on one of their two chances.

3️⃣ Fleury’s Relief Appearance: After Gustavsson allowed four goals, Fleury came in for his second straight relief stint—he’s expected to start the season finale at home.

⭐ Three Stars of the Game:

1. ⭐  M. Backlund (CGY • Center): 1 goal, opened the scoring

2. ⭐ Y. Sharangovich (CGY • Center): 1 goal, plus a key second-period deflection

3. ⭐R. Lomberg (CGY • Left Wing): 1 goal, breakaway dagger in the third

📊 By The Numbers:
• Shots on Goal: Wild 18 – Flames 32
• Power Play: Wild 0% (0/2) – Flames 50% (1/2)
• Penalty Minutes: Wild 4 – Flames 4
• Faceoffs: Wild 47.4% – Flames 52.6%
• Hits: Wild 25 – Flames 26
• Blocked Shots: Wild 18 – Flames 24
• Giveaways: Wild 16 – Flames 12
• Takeaways: Wild 4 – Flames 5

📰 Around the Team:

• Still in Control: Despite the loss, the Wild remain in a playoff position, tied in points with the Blues and three ahead of Calgary.

• Injury Watch: Jared Spurgeon took a puck to the throat and briefly left the game. He’s expected to be fine.

• Middleton Watch: Jake Middleton is nearing return—could rejoin the lineup in Vancouver.

🎯 Stat Spotlight:

• Season Sweep: Calgary swept the season series vs. Minnesota for the first time since 2016-17.

• Road Struggles: Minnesota has lost six straight on the road (0-4-2).

• Top Line Silenced: Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, despite strong efforts in their return vs. San Jose, were held off the scoresheet.

🔍 What This Win Means:

❌ No Clinch Yet – The Wild miss the chance to lock up a playoff spot.

⚠️ Crunch Time – Every point counts now. Calgary and St. Louis are right behind.

📉 Momentum Check – After an 8-goal game, the Wild managed just two against a surging Flames squad.

🔥 Next Up:
 • Opponent: Vancouver Canucks
• Date: April 12, 2025
• Time: 9:00 PM CST
• Where to Watch: FanDuel

📬 Final Whistle:
The playoff race is on thin ice. One win might still do it—but the Wild will need a bounce-back performance in Vancouver to avoid leaving things up to chance on Tuesday.

📢 Stay tuned to Wild Hockey Insider for pre-game insights and analysis!