Flames look to clinch division versus Stars

A Calgary Flames victory on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars would be very consequential.

Not only would it damage the Stars' playoff hopes, but it would clinch the Pacific Division title for Darryl Sutter's team.

Any kind of victory on Thursday night would give the Flames their eighth division title and second in four seasons. Currently on 104 points with five games remaining, the Flames need four points to set a team record for highest point total in an 82-game season. Their previous best of 107 came in 2018-2019. The team's all-time best point total came in an 80-game season in 1988-89 with 117 points. The Flames went on to win the Stanley Cup that June.

There are also individual achievements at play. Sitting on 108 points, Johnny Gaudreau needs two to tie Joey Mullen for the second-highest point total in team history. Mullen's 110-point season came in the Stanley Cup-winning '88-89 campaign. Kent Nilsson holds the team record with 131 points in the 1980-81 season.

Gaudreau and teammates Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm also sit on the precipice of the 40-goal plateau. Gaudreau needs two goals for 40, while Tkachuk and Lindholm need just one. Tkachuk needs one point for his first 100-point season, a feat never accomplished by his father, Keith Tkachuk. The elder Tkachuck's best ever point total was 98 in the 1995-96 season as a member of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Stars currently occupy the second Western Conference wild-card spot with five games remaining. They are two points clear of the Vegas Golden Knights, who have played one more game, and four ahead of the Vancouver Canucks.