The Minnesota Wild won a key matchup with division rival Vancouver Friday night, 2-1, and created some space at the top of the up-for-grabs Northwest Division. The Wild now lead the wild and wacky Northwest by three points -- a substantial margin considering the tightness of the chase in recent weeks -- but that doesn’t mean the division title is in the can.

After Colorado’s critical 7-5 loss to Edmonton Saturday afternoon, none of the four teams with a legitimate chance to win the Northwest has more than eight games remaining. On the other hand, none of the four clubs has fewer than five games against one another.

The Calgary Flames face all three of their rivals -- Minnesota, Colorado and Vancouver -- in the next four nights. In two weeks, the season closes with Minnesota at Colorado and Calgary at Vancouver.

Here is a schedule of games remaining between the four clubs, including their records against one another going into Saturday night’s action. The Flames host the Wild tonight, against whom they are 5-1-0. It’s a key opportunity to close the gap on first-place Minnesota.

Minnesota Wild (40-26-9, 89 points)
March 22 at Calgary. . . . . . . . . . .1-4-1
March 28 vs Vancouver. . . . . . . . 4-2-1
March 30 vs Colorado. . . . . . . . . 4-2-0
April 3 vs Calgary
April 6 at Colorado

Calgary Flames (38-26-10, 86 points)
March 22 vs Minnesota. . . . . . . . .5-1-0
March 24 at Colorado. . . . . . . . . 3-1-3
March 25 vs Vancouver. . . . . . . . 1-3-1
March 30 at Vancouver
April 3 at Minnesota
April 5 at Vancouver

Vancouver Canucks (38-27-10, 86 points)
March 25 at Calgary. . . . . . . . . . . 4-1-0
March 26 at Colorado. . . . . . . . . . 2-3-1
March 28 at Minnesota. . . . . . . . . 3-3-1
March 30 vs Calgary
April 1 vs Colorado
April 5 vs Calgary

Colorado Avalanche (39-31-6, 84 points)
March 24 vs Calgary. . . . . . . . . . . 4-3-0
March 26 vs Vancouver. . . . . . . . .4-1-1
March 30 at Minnesota. . . . . . . . .2-4-0
April 1 at Vancouver
April 6 vs Minnesota

Let the fun begin.