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Blues, Flames clinch playoff berths; final West spot down to Kings or Preds

2017 Coors Light NHL All-Star Skills Competition

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: Johnny Gaudreau #13 of the Calgary Flames and Vladimir Tarasenko #91 of the St. Louis Blues converse during the 2017 Coors Light NHL All-Star Skills Competition as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend at STAPLES Center on January 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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The Calgary Flames clinched a playoff berth by beating the San Jose Sharks 5-2 and the St. Louis Blues did the same by getting to overtime (but ultimately losing 2-1 via a shootout) to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

The Blues have now made it to the playoffs six straight times since 2011-12. This is just the second time Calgary’s made it to the postseason since 2009-10.

It all makes for a pretty deal in Western Canada, especially if seeding pits the Flames against the Edmonton Oilers.

With that, there is just one Western Conference playoff spot still up for grabs. It comes down to either the Nashville Predators or Los Angeles Kings, with a huge advantage for Nashville:

Predators: 89 points in 77 games
Kings: 79 points in 76 games (in progress against the Canucks)

Barring a borderline-miraculous turnaround for Los Angeles, the West’s final stretch will revolve around jockeying for position.

The Flames could see quite a bit of movement in the congested top rankings of the Pacific. The Blues, meanwhile, hope to hold off the Predators for the third spot in the Central.