Flames beat Minnesota 4-2, preventing the Wild from clinching playoff spot
Nazem Kadri scored his 32nd goal of the season on a second-period power play and the Calgary Flames beat Minnesota 4-2 on Friday night to prevent the Wild from clinching a playoff spot Friday night.
Minnesota and St. Louis hold the two Western Conference wild-card spot, three points ahead of Calgary.
Mikael Backlund, Yegor Sharangovich and Ryan Lomberg also scored as Calgary built a 4-0 lead. Dustin Wolf made 16 saves, allowing only late goals to Yakov Trenin and Gustav Nyquist.
Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 shots for Minnesota before giving way to Marc-Andre Fleury after allowing Lomberg's goal at 7:20 of the third.
Minnesota has lost six straight on the road (0-4-2), while Calgary has snagged points in five straight games (3-0-2).
Calgary gave itself some rare breathing room early in the second period when Sharangovich and Kadri scored less than two minutes apart to open up a 3-0 lead.
Calgary swept the season series with the Wild for the first time since 2016-17.
The Wild are at Vancouver on Saturday night, then will close the regular season at home Tuesday night against Anaheim. The Flames host San Jose on Sunday night.
