San Jose – The Calgary Flames took care of business on Sunday night in a 5-3 triumph over the Sharks.
The win settled the race for the top spot in the Western Conference as the Flames are now 49-23-7 on the season.
Sharks goalie Aaron Dell makes a stop on a shot by TJ Brodie (7) – Photo by Jack Lima
“We’ve had a good year, a good regular season, but we know the work lies ahead in the playoffs,” Flames captain Mark Giordano said. “But we won’t take this for granted. It’s an accomplishment by our team to finish first in the West. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
Mike Smith made 12 saves, yes 12, for the win as the Sharks were bottled by the Flames defense.
“Just a great feeling, somewhat of a sense of relief I guess, but also an excitement,” Smith said. “This doesn’t come around every year. It’s hard to get to the very top.
“The Western Conference is a tough conference, and to get to where we are and to it with the guys we’ve done it with in here says a lot about this group and the resiliency of this group.”
Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and Logan Couture scored for the Sharks.
“We have to set ourselves up for the playoffs and go in with a good feeling,” Meier said. “We have to find our game. It’s like doing homework and getting ready for the final exams in the playoffs.”
Sean Monahan, Dalton Prout, Mark Jankowski, Mikael Backlund, and Michael Frolik all scored for the Flames.
“It’s huge,” Monahan said of winning the West. “I’ve been here a long time now and it’s tough enough to make it to the playoffs, so I think to do what we did is pretty special and it’s something I’ll always remember.
“We’ve got a lot of work of ahead of us, and as a group we know what we’re in for.”
[WATCH: All Flames vs. Sharks highlights]
Aaron Dell made 25 saves in the loss.
“We’re having a tough time breaking out of our zone right now. If you don’t exit, you find the puck going into the net. We had seven, eight good minutes. We scored the goal, [but] the next thing you know its 3-1,” Couture said after the loss.
Tomas Hertl (48) and Sean Monahan (23) chase the puck during first period action – Photo by Jack Lima
Justin Braun (61) tries to stick check Matthew Tkachuk (19) – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic looks to make a pass – Photo by Jack Lima
Sean Monahan (23) celebrates his first period goal with Johnny Gaudreau – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks goalie Aaron Dell makes a save as Garnet Hathawy (21) and Brent Burns (88) fight for the rebound – Photo by Jack Lima
Sharks goalie Aaron Dell makes a diving stop during second period action at the SAP Center in San Jose – Photo by Jack Lima
Mark Jankowski (right) celebrates his first period goal with James Neal – Photo by Jack Lima
Marcus Sorensen (20) tries to move the puck away from James Neal – Photo by Jack Lima
Johnny Gaudreau takes a shot on goal – Photo by Jack Lima
Johnny Gaudreau (13) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) fight for the puck – Photo by Jack Lima
Dalton Prout celebrates his first period goal – Photo by Jack Lima
Andrew Mangiapane (88) moves the puck up ice – Photo by Jack Lima
Austin Czarnik (27) watches as a shot by Mark Jankowski (not pictured) slips by Sharks goalie Aaoon Dell – Photo by Jack Lima
Dalton Prout (6) scores a goal past Sharks goalie Aaron Dell – Photo by Jack Lima
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