Flames at Jets
Two teams returning to the postseason after lengthy absences face off on Saturday when the Calgary Flames visit the Winnipeg Jets in the regular-season finale for both clubs. Calgary clinched its first playoff berth since 2008-09 on Thursday, when Jiri Hudler scored two goals and set up another in a 3-1 home victory over Los Angeles - knocking the reigning Stanley Cup champion out of contention in the process.
The Flames are assured of meeting Vancouver in the first round of the playoffs, and a non-shootout victory coupled with a Canucks regulation loss to Edmonton would give Calgary home-ice advantage in the series. Winnipeg suffered a 1-0 shootout loss at Colorado on Thursday but secured the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference thanks to Calgary's triumph over Los Angeles. It marks the first postseason appearance for the Jets in their four seasons in Manitoba and the second in franchise history - the first occurring in 2006-07, when the club was known as the Atlanta Thrashers. Winnipeg will face either Anaheim or St. Louis in the opening round.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, RSN West (Calgary), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (45-29-7): Despite the fact his team still has something for which to play, coach Bob Hartley may rest some regulars Saturday as the team recalled four players from Adirondack of the American Hockey League on Friday. Defensemen Brett Kulak and John Ramage along with left wings Emile Poirier and David Wolf were summoned, while 19-year-old center Sam Bennett - the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft - is with Calgary but has yet to make his NHL debut. "We have quite a few guys who are banged up, so we will make decisions later on," Hartley told the team's website. "We've not made any decisions yet. We'll do what's best for them."
ABOUT THE JETS (42-26-13): Ondrej Pavelec will receive a well-deserved day off after posting three shutouts in a span of four days. The 27-year-old Czech turned aside 83 shots in raising his season total to five blankings, eclipsing his previous career high set in 2010-11 and matched the following campaign. Rookie Michael Hutchinson will start as Winnipeg looks to avoid being swept of the three-game season series and be backed up by 21-year-old Connor Hellebuyck, who was recalled from St. John's of the AHL on Friday after going 28-22-5 with six shutouts and a 2.58 goals-against average in 58 games with the IceCaps.
OVERTIME
1. The Flames enter Saturday's matchup with a three-game overall winning streak and a 22-16-2 record on the road this season, while the Jets are 22-13-5 at home.
2. Winnipeg C Mathieu Perreault will miss the season finale with a leg injury suffered in the setback against the Avalanche.
3. Hudler will finish the campaign as the team leader in points (76 entering Saturday) and is tied with C Sean Monahan for first on the club with a career-high 31 goals.