For many in the league, Game 81 is still either about fighting for a final wildcard spot or determining who they will face in the playoffs. For the Avalanche, it's just game 81, though there are some key notes in the second-last game.

Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen are both in tonight, with Devon Toews and Brock Nelson coming out for maintenance. Martin Necas is looking for point 100, and he will secure it as the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Calgary Flames 3-1.

Period 1:

The Avalanche gets the early chance first as  Yegor Sharangovich is called for tripping, but can’t capitalize on it. The Flames get their first power-play opportunity not long after, as Parker Kelly is called for tripping, but the Avalanche kill their first penalty.

Not much happened in the first period; the Avalanche were pretty sloppy, with poor decision-making, but they did outshoot them 10-6 and kept the score tied entering the second period.

Period 2:

Avalanche once again gets the opportunity to strike first on the power play as Connor Zary is called for hooking, but can’t capitalize on the chance. It's Blake Coleman who tips Mikael Backlund's shot, and it tips over Mackenzie Blackwood's shoulder and in, opening the score at 1-0. Impressive, really, from Coleman, as Brett Kulak cross-checked him in the process and still managed to get the tip-off.

In his first game back, Cale Makar comes in on a tight angle, manages to squeeze a laser of a pass to Arturri Lehkonen, who rifles it in right off the pass to tie the game 1-1. Martin Necas was initially credited as the secondary assist but was later changed to Sam Malinski, so Necas still sits at 99 points.

Rory Kerins is called for tripping, and into the power play, the Flames are called for too many men. This gives the Avalanche a 5-on-3 for 1:17, but they can't capitalize on the extra-man advantage. Jack Ahcan is called for hooking, but the Avalanche kill it off and head into the third period tied 1-1

Period 3:

Wolf is stopping pretty much everything the Avalanche are sending him, robbing a 2-on-1 from O’Connor. It's Kulak who sends a wrist shot from the blue line that is tipped by Gabriel Landeskog and in to make it 2-1 with less than five minutes left in the period.

Necas with Wolf out of the net sends it to Makar, who sends it to MacKinnon, who buries the empty-net goal to end the game at 3-1, giving Necas his 100th career point for the first time in his career.

Next Game.

The 3-1 win secures 119 points on the season, tying the franchise record, and could break it in their final game of the season against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, April 16.

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