LOS ANGELES -- The game between the Calgary Flames and the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday was a contrast between one team sharpening its game for the postseason and the other making plans for an early vacation.

Defenseman Dennis Wideman scored the decisive goal and rookie goaltender Jon Gillies made 27 saves to win his NHL debut as the Flames won 4-1.

The Flames (45-32-4) also got goals from Sam Bennett, Freddie Hamilton and Alex Chiasson to break a two-game losing streak and stay in the first wild-card position in the Western Conference, by virtue of having one more regulation or overtime win than the Nashville Predators.

Trevor Lewis scored for Los Angeles (38-35-7), which lost for the fourth time in its last seven games. Ben Bishop stopped 20 Calgary shots.

Gillies became the fifth goalie in Calgary franchise history to win in his debut. He was steady throughout; and, with plenty of support coupled with little resistance from Los Angeles, he cruised to the win.

"The time I settled down the most, I think, is after they scored," Gillies said. "I kind of chuckled to myself. That was an unbelievable effort by our team. When you play behind an effort like that, it's easy to see why we've had success this year."

Wideman joked about the rare opportunity to pot a breakaway goal.

"When I first got the puck, I was thinking, 'Don't fall,'" he said. "And then I was thinking, 'Just shoot.' And it went in for me. It definitely felt good."

Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter was less than complimentary about his team's 60-minute effort. After playing Calgary even in the opening period, the Kings exhibited the same lack of spark that has plagued them for the last month of the season.

"Just before Wideman came out of the penalty box with his blazing speed and scored on that breakaway, they had another breakaway, too," Sutter said. "I thought, after that, there wasn't much there."

Jarome Iginla, the former Flame who had hoped to chase an elusive Stanley Cup ring when dealt to Los Angeles from Colorado at the trade deadline, spoke about the disappointment of missing the playoffs with a team many thought would be a contender.

"It's disappointing when you're eliminated. That's the tough part of it," Iginla said. "At the same time, once you get in the game, you want to win it. When you get out there, you forget about all that other stuff. You just want to win the game and enjoy playing it, playing hard, playing the right way."

The Flames took a 1-0 lead on Bennett's power-play goal, his 13th goal of the season, at 4:57 of the first period. Calgary navigated the puck around the zone, and Mikael Backlund found Bennett alone in the slot for a one-timer from 27 feet. Mark Giordano earned the secondary assist.

Los Angeles tied the game at 1 on Lewis' 12th goal of the season, at 6:13 of the first period. Lewis finished an odd man rush with a wrist shot off a feed from Jeff Carter, Derek Forbort got the additional helper.

Calgary took control with a three-goal second period. Wideman's sixth of the season, at 4:32, came off a feed from Micheal Ferland.

Hamilton's second goal of the season, at 10:45, increased the margin to 3-1. His wrap-around attempt deflected off Brayden McNabb and into the net.

Chiasson completed the run at 14:20 by tipping in T.J. Brodie's point shot for his second of the season.

NOTES: G Jon Gillies was recalled from Stockton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and spelled Brian Elliott after Chad Johnson, the regular backup, left a 3-1 loss to Anaheim in the first period Wednesday with a lower-body injury. ... The Flames scratched Johnson, LW Lance Bouma, C Matt Stajan, D Michael Stone and D Rasmus Andersson. ... The Kings did not dress RW Marian Gaborik, LW Kyle Clifford, D Paul LaDue and C Jordan Nolan. ... Los Angeles hosted its annual Fan Appreciation Night, an event customarily reserved for the last regular-season game. Instead, Saturday's game against Chicago will honor Hall of Fame television play-by-play man Bob Miller, who is retiring after 44 years behind the microphone. Miller, 78, has had health issues the past two seasons and announced his retirement earlier this season.