Flames

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The Kraken break the Ducks’ hearts, the Oilers decide to make a coaching change, and the Flames are on a roll.

8. Seattle Kraken (16-28-4)

Last week: 8

It’s been clear for quite a while that the Kraken weren’t going to be in the playoff mix this season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a say in how the Pacific Division race shakes out. Last Friday, Jordan Eberle snapped a 22-game goal drought with under two minutes to go in regulation to give Seattle a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, keeping Anaheim from getting even a point out of the contest.

This week: VS TOR, @ WPG, @ CGY

7. Vancouver Canucks (22-21-6)

Last week: 7

Vancouver went 2-1-0 on a three-game homestand last week. After a 5-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes and a 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders, the Canucks got outshot 53-24 by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, but Thatcher Demko stopped 51 of those 53 shots in a 3-2 victory.

This week: @ SJ, VS ANA

6. San Jose Sharks (22-20-4)

Last week: 6

Nothing new to report on the Sharks, who last played on February 1st. They’re back at it on Monday. Six of their seven games remaining in February will be played at home, while five of the seven will be played against Pacific Division opponents.

This week: VS EDM, VS VAN, VS VGK

5. Anaheim Ducks (23-17-9)

Last week: 5

That late loss to the Kraken was the Ducks’ only game last week. They’ll have had quite a while to think about it when they play next on Wednesday.

Isac Lundeström scored twice against Seattle. After entering this season with just 15 points (6-9-15) in 71 career NHL games, he has 22 (11-11-22) in 49 so far this season.

This week: @ CGY, @ EDM, @ VAN

4. Edmonton Oilers (24-18-3)

Last week: 4

Just last week, we talked about how it looked like the Oilers might be getting their act together, but apparently, the ice under Dave Tippett’s feet was still thin.

Edmonton followed up that 5-0-1 stretch with back-to-back home losses to the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks, and that was that. Tippett was gone, and Jay Woodcroft was promoted. Happening just a day after the Montreal Canadiens replaced Dominique Ducharme with Martin St. Louis, the Oilers became the fourth Canadian team to make a coaching change this season.

The Woodcroft era got off to a nice start, at least. Zach Hyman scored his 100th career goal in a 3-1 win over the Islanders on Friday.

This week: @ SJ, @ LA, VS ANA, @ WPG, VS MIN

3. LA Kings (24-16-7)

Last week: 2

Like the Sharks, the LA Kings were off last week, I guess because they didn’t have as many postponed games to make up as a lot of other teams did. Unfortunately, that means there was nothing they could do but sit and watch as the Calgary Flames rocketed by them in this week’s rankings.

This week: VS EDM, @ VGK, @ ARI

2. Vegas Golden Knights (28-17-3)

Last week: 1

The Golden Knights returned from the break with a 4-0 win over the Oilers last Tuesday but followed that up with a 6-0 loss to the Flames the next night. More on Calgary in a moment, but Vegas is now just one point ahead of them for first place in the Pacific, and the Flames have three games in hand. That gruesome loss helped to end the Knights’ run of consecutive weeks atop our rankings at eight.

Before having it snapped in Calgary, Brett Howden extended his goal streak to four games in the win over Edmonton.

This week: VS COL, VS LA, @ SJ

1. Calgary Flames (26-13-6)

Last week: 3

What a week for the Flames. They outscored the Golden Knights, Maple Leafs, and Islanders by a combined margin of 16-4, extending their winning streak to six games in the process.

On pace for a career-best season, Matthew Tkachuk added to his highlight reel in last Wednesday’s blowout win over Vegas.

This week: VS CBJ, VS ANA, VS SEA

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