NHL Playoffs: Four Games Left in Western Conference Race

Another bad break for the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

Nope, they didn't lose yet another game. That's because they were idle then.

No, but the Calgary Flames did, dropping a tough 2-1 decision at home to the Edmonton Oilers.

Calgary, still in the hunt for the Northwest Division regular-season title--and the third seed in the Western Conference, will take on the Canucks in Vancouver less than 24 hours later.

The last time the Flames lost, they took on the Canucks the very next night, and came out with a heroic effort.

That would have been this past Monday, when Calgary lost 2-0 in Colorado, and returned home to face Vancouver.

The Canucks outplayed the Flames in the opening 20 minutes on Tuesday, before the home side rebounded and out-hit and out-shot the visitors by laugable margins to win 3-2.

Will the Flames be upset about Saturday night's defeat and come out with fire in Vancouver? That could very well be the case.

If so, the Canucks better watch out.

On Calgary's side, Mike Keenan's troops cannot afford another loss, as they are three points behind Minnesota for the division lead and play their remaining four games on the road--in Minnesota, Edmonton, and twice in Vancouver.

The Canucks, on the other hand, have all four of their remaining contests at home, next Tuesday vs. the Colorado Avalanche and Thursday vs. the Oilers in addition to the pair of games against the Flames.

Vancouver, who suffered two "firsts" this week--losing a game in regulation for the first time after being ahead going into the third period, and losing three straight games in regulation for the first time (a streak which has now reached four)--are currently ninth in the conference.

Though the Canucks (38-30-10) and the Nashville Predators (39-31-8) both have 86 points, the team from the Music City are in eighth place by virtue of having an extra win.

So, it would be no good for Vancouver to finish tied with Nashville in points.

The Preds, who are on a three-game winning streak thanks in part to rookie Dan Ellis' back-to-back shutouts in a home-and-home series against Columbus, play the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon, hours before the Vancouver-Calgary tilt.

Following the tough game in Detroit, the Preds then take on the 14th-ranked St. Louis Blues in a home-and-home before finishing the season in Chicago, another non-playoff bound team.

The Preds arguably have an easier schedule than the Canucks, but that depends on your point of view.

Still, easy or not, the gang in Nashville will still have to come out to play and not blow any points if they want to make the playoffs.

For Vancouver, you've got to believe the Canucks will come out with a superb effort especially after the four consecutive stinkers--all against divisional opponents--they came up with in their 0-4-0 slide.

Vanouver goaltender Roberto Luongo--unlike the rookie in Nashville--suffered major meltdowns, getting pulled in the second periods of the latest two losses. Oh okay, I admit, Luongo didn't receive any help from his team defensively--or offensively for that matter--and it wasn't his fault. Still, it was fun to see Luongo get chased in the Colorado loss on Wednesday.

But back to the Canucks: For a team that opened the year 9-0-2 against divisional opponents, the Canucks have fallen mightily indeed.

I don't beat around the bush--I do not like the Canucks. Anyone who knows me can attest to that.

So, to see the Canucks miss the playoffs would be awesome. But, realistically, they won't just roll over--I think.

It would appear that this final week of the NHL regular season will either be fun times for me, or it will be a major letdown.

Either way, at least on Saturday night--when the Canucks were idle--they got a bad break because the Flames lost.