Jarome Iginla prevents Flames from clinching

CALGARY --The Calgary Flames failed to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.
The Flames (43-30-4, 90 points) lead the Nashville Predators by one point for the first wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.

"We're still in there and we're still excited about the opportunity," Calgary forward Kris Versteeg said. "I don't think there's anything to be down about. We've put ourselves in a good position. We're still a confident team. It just wasn't our night, so we'll come back for the next one."
WATCH: All Kings vs. Flames highlights
Jarome Iginla and Anze Kopitar each had a goal and an assist, Trevor Lewis and Jeff Carter scored, and Ben Bishop made 25 saves for the Kings (36-33-7, 79 points), who trail the Predators by 10 points for the second wild card. Each team has six games remaining.
"For us, that's a playoff-style game," Iginla said. "We're do-or-die at this point. It was one we all played hard and it went the right way and it feels good."
Dougie Hamilton scored, and Brian Elliott made 29 saves for the Flames, who are three points behind the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division with five games remaining. The Sharks and Oilers each have played one fewer game.
Calgary's next game is Friday against San Jose.
"This is one game, hopefully we learn from it and move on to the next one and try to get our X by our name next game," Flames defenseman Michael Stone said.

Hamilton scored 3:04 into the game to put the Flames up 1-0, but Lewis, playing in his 500th NHL game, tied it 1-1 at 12:04 when Derek Forbort's point shot deflected off his leg and behind Elliott.
Iginla scored his first goal in Calgary in seven games as an opposing player to put Los Angeles up 2-1 with 45.8 seconds remaining in the second period.
Iginla played 16 seasons for the Flames and holds their records for games played (1,219), goals (525) and points (1,095).
"I don't know how many more games I'll play here, but this will be one that I will remember," the 39-year-old said. "It's special. Honestly, I really just don't know (whether he's going to retire). I go back and forth. I'll see how the year finishes and talk to my family and go from there."
Kopitar gave the Kings a 3-1 lead at 6:09 of the third period, and Carter extended the lead to 4-1 at 12:40.
It was the first game between the teams since Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk was suspended two games for elbowing Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on March 19. There were two fights and 40 penalty minutes in the first period. Iginla fought Flames defenseman Deryk Engelland after Tkachuk fought Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb.
"It's something that happened in the past," Tkachuk said. "You're done with it and you move forward."

Goal of the game

Carter finished a give-and-go with Iginla on the rush by tapping the return pass by Elliott's right pad on his backhand.

Save of the game

Shortly after the Kings killed a Flames power play in the third period, Lewis whiffed on an attempt to get the puck into the Calgary zone from center ice, but Bishop got his blocker on Sam Bennett's shot from the top of the left faceoff circle at 8:59 to keep Los Angeles ahead by two goals.

Highlight of the game

Marian Gaborik curled back after gaining the Flames zone and passed off to defenseman Jake Muzzin, who set up Kopitar with a pass that he one-timed past Elliott.

Unsung performance of the game

Forbort had a game-high five blocked shots in 17:17, including one with 2:22 left and another with 24 seconds remaining.

They said it

"It was a fun night. The result ended up obviously the way we wanted. It was a gritty game right from the start, a lot of emotions and stuff. Some good bounces, it was a nice bounce there on that goal. All the way around, I thought as a team we competed real hard right from the drop of the puck." -- Kings forward Jarome Iginla
"We just have to go Friday. We can't dwell on it. We have to get ourselves a couple of points here and get moving. A missed opportunity? We have five games left."-- Flames coach Glen Gulutzan

Need to know

Each team was 0-for-6 on the power play. … Kings forward Nicholas Shore returned to the lineup after missing 11 games because of an upper-body injury. … Flames center Sean Monahan has two goals and eight points in his past three games. … Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau extended his point streak to six games (two goals, eight assists). … The loss was Elliott's second in his past 14 games (12-2-0).

What's next

Kings:At the Vancouver Canucks on Friday (10 p.m. ET; SN360, SNP, FS-W, NHL.TV)
Flames:Host the San Jose Sharks on Friday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, CSN-CA, NHL.TV)