Flames clinch top spot in Western Conference with victory over Sharks

The Calgary Flames have clinched the top spot in the Western Conference for the first time since 1989-90 with a 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Calgary is now guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout the Western Conference playoff rounds.

Everything came together perfectly for the Flames this season. The club has enjoyed breakout campaigns from third-year forward Matthew Tkachuk and newcomer Elias Lindholm while also getting career years from Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and veteran defenseman Mark Giordano.

Calgary's victory over the Sharks was the team's 49th triumph on the season, surpassing the 1987-88 team for the second-most wins in franchise history.

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CWHL folding after 12 years

The Canadian Women's Hockey League will discontinue operations effective May 1, 2019, due to financial concerns, the league announced Sunday.

"Unfortunately the business model that has been the foundation of the League is not sustainable financially," the release states.

The CWHL is comprised of six teams, with four based in Canada (Toronto, Markham, Montreal, and Calgary), one in the United States (Worcester), and one in China (Shenzhen).

It was founded in 2007 by players and members of the community.

The National Women's Hockey League, which contains five teams - all in the United States - is now the lone professional women's hockey league in North America.

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Islanders blow out Sabres to clinch 1st playoff berth since 2016

The New York Islanders are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016, punching their ticket with an emphatic 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Few expected the club to compete this year after New York underwent a series of drastic changes in the offseason. The team brought in Barry Trotz as head coach, Lou Lamoriello as general manager, and lost longtime captain and franchise center John Tavares in free agency.

Despite their summer makeover, the Islanders have seen a 17-point improvement in the standings compared to last season. With four games left to go, they're locked in a race with the Pittsburgh Penguins for home-ice advantage in the first round.

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Report: Red Wings expected to sign Blashill to 2-year extension

The Detroit Red Wings are expected to ink head coach Jeff Blashill to a two-year contract extension, with an official announcement likely coming Tuesday, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Blashill is in his fourth season behind the Red Wings' bench. He's guided Detroit to a 30-38-10 record this season and is 134-143-47 during his tenure.

This will be the third consecutive campaign that the Red Wings will miss the playoffs. Detroit was dispatched by the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round of the postseason in Blashill's first season at the helm.

He signed a four-year deal upon being promoted from Grand Rapids - the club's AHL affiliate - when Mike Babcock left to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Canadiens’ Kotkaniemi a healthy scratch vs. Jets

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a healthy scratch Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets in order to rest, Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien told reporters pregame.

"You see the fatigue in his game," Julien said. "So, having been through a long season, for an 18-year-old (this is) totally normal. We need to win hockey games here, we need to try and put our best lineup together, and hopefully giving him some rest will give him an opportunity to finish strong here in the next few games coming up."

It's the third time this month that Kotkaniemi has served as a healthy scratch.

He has chipped in 34 points in 76 games, but has no goals with just two assists in his last 11 contests.

Saturday night's game is crucial for the Canadiens as they continue to pursue the Blue Jackets. Columbus currently occupies the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot with the same point total as Montreal but with a game in hand.

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Jets get Byfuglien back after 19-game absence

Dustin Byfuglien is ready to go.

The Winnipeg Jets will have the imposing defenseman in the lineup Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens, Jets head coach Paul Maurice confirmed pregame.

Maurice said Byfuglien will be eased back onto the second power-play unit.

The 34-year-old blue-liner has been out since Feb. 14 with an ankle injury.

Byfuglien leads the Jets in average ice time at 24:26, albeit in a smaller sample size. He has collected 30 points in 37 games.

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Rosen to join Maple Leafs for Monday’s game vs. Islanders

The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to give one of their defensive prospects a look down the stretch.

Calle Rosen will join the club in New York ahead of Monday's contest against the Islanders, Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock told reporters, including TSN's Mark Masters, on Saturday.

Babcock's plan is to have Rosen in the lineup until injured blue-liner Jake Gardiner returns, according to Masters.

Rosen has racked up 46 points in 54 games with the Toronto Marlies this season, in his second campaign with the Leafs' AHL affiliate.

The Leafs signed the 25-year-old to a two-year contract extension in December.

Toronto will face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

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