The Flames magic number was reduced to one after they dumped the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The picture is crystal clear now - if the Flames beat the L.A. Kings Wednesday night at the Dome, they officially punch their ticket to the post-season.
After that, it's just a matter of where they finish in the standings.
Sean Monahan, Micheal Ferland, Troy Brouwer and Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Flames while Brian Elliott made 24 saves in the victory against the cellar-dwelling Avs.
Sven Andrighetto and Blake Comeau scored for Colorado.
It was Calgary's second straight win following the team's recent three-game road trip where they went 1-2, winning the final game of the trio by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime Saturday night on Monahan's game-winner.
It was Monahan who opened the scoring just 1:30 into the game Monday when his wrister from the high slot deflected off of Erik Johnson and past Avs netminder Calvin Pickard.
Ferland made it a two-goal lead 4:33 into the second period. Pickard stopped Johnny Gaudreau's attempt at a wrap-around goal from behind the net but the puck squirted out into the slot where Ferland swooped in and snapped it home.
Sean Monahan collected an assist on the play for his 200th career point.
Andrighetto made it a one-goal lead in the third period before Brouwer took a cross-ice pass from Monahan and wristed it top shelf, glove-side on Pickard.
Versteeg got in on the career milestone action on the play recording his 200th career assist on the play.
Comeau got a late one to bring Colorado back within one before Gaudreau scored an empty-netter to seal the deal.
NOTES: The Flames have a 25-16-1-2 record versus the Western Conference this season and they are 14-7-0-0 against the Central Division … Calgary has won 31 consecutive times when holding a lead after two periods. Calgary's only loss this season when leading after 40 minutes came on Oct. 15 when they still earned a point in a shootout loss … Troy Brouwer played his first NHL game against the Avalanche on Dec. 23, 2006 while playing for the Blackhawks. He also scored his first goal in the league on Nov. 3, 2008 versus Colorado.
UP NEXT: Jarome Iginla, Darryl Sutter and the L.A. Kings come to town Wednesday night (7 p.m., Sportsnet, SN960 The Fan).
