Canucks Next Game: Vancouver's playoff flame down to a flicker

The Vancouver Canucks aren’t officially out of the Western Conference playoff chase, but heading into Calgary Saturday they’ll need a miracle to make the post-season

Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk is always a handful around the net for goalie Thatcher Demko and the Vancouver Canucks. Tkachuk hopes to add to his 40 goals and 100 points on Saturday in Calgary. Photo by Bob Frid /USA TODAY Sports files

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

38-29-11, 5th in Pacific Division

at CALGARY FLAMES

48-20-10, 1st in Pacific Division

saturday7 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome.

TV: CBC, Sportsnet. Radio: Sportsnet 650.

WHY WATCH?

Desperate measures

The Flames have already clinched the top seed in the Pacific Division, but they shouldn’t be lacking motivation Saturday, not with an opportunity to make a difficult climb even more daunting for one of their regional rivals. The Canucks are currently four points out of the final wild-card slot in the Western Conference. They likely need to win their final four dates and require help on the out-of-town scoreboard, too. Vegas can’t win more than two games and neither can Dallas for the Canucks to have any hope. LA needs just one win to put themselves out of reach of the Canucks.

LEADER POINTS

CANUCKS

1. JT Miller GP 76 W 30 A 63 PTS 93 (+11)

2. Elias Pettersson GP 76 G 31 A 34 PTS 65 (+2)

3. Quinn Hughes GP 72 W 6 A 55 PTS 61 (+7)

FLAMES

1. Johnny Gaudreau GP 78 W 38 A 71 PTS 109 (+60)

2. Matthew Tkachuk GP 78 W 40 A 60 PTS 100 (+53)

3. Elias Lindholm GP 78 W 39 A 39 PTS 78 (+56)

SPECIAL TEAMS

CANUCKS: PP 23.4% (8th) PK 74.1% (30th)

FLAMES: PP 23.3% (9th) PK 83.9% (6th)

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• Pointmakers: Matthew Tkachuk has notched 40 goals on the season, the most by a Flames sharpshooter since Jarome Iginla achieved that feat for a fourth time in the 2010-11 campaign. Calgary’s other top-line talents could soon join the club: Elias Lindholm is one successful shot shy of 40 while assisting ace Johnny Gaudreau has drained 38 of his own from him. Elias Pettersson has 13 goals in his last 12 games. He has 65 points on the season, one shy of his career high. JT Miller’s next point will tie him for eighth best single-season tally in Canucks history. And Quinn Hughes’ 61 points have him two shy of Doug Lidster’s single-season record for points by a defenseman, set in 1986-87.

• A smashed-up return: Fans at the Saddledome will recognize this familiar face, although former Flames center Brad Richardson is looking worse for wear after suffering a broken nose on Thursday vs. Minnesota. “He’s not pretty,” quipped head coach Bruce Boudreau. “I’ll be fine. Yeah, he’s a little uglier, I guess, ”Richardson said with a laugh.

• Goals galore? Saturday’s hosts own the edge in the season series, winning two of three meetings so far. It’s been a mixed bag — a game that was scoreless after 60 minutes and then a lopsided win for each side. The Flames won 5-2 in their last meeting but the Canucks won 7-1 in the game before that.

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