With the NHL playoffs quickly approaching, every day of the regular season has gained increased importance. Here at Sporting News we’ll keep you updated with the latest playoff positioning, the teams in the hunt, the previous days games and a look forward to tonight’s action.
X- clinched playoff spot, Y- clinched division title
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Y- Boston Bruins (110 pts, 7 games remaining)
Montreal Canadiens (93pts, 6 games remaining)
Tampa Bay Lighting (91 pts, 7 games remaining)
Metropolitan Division
X-Pittsburgh Penguins (101 pts, 7 games remaining)
New York Rangers (88 pts, 6 games remaining)
Philadelphia Flyers (86 pts, 8 games remaining)
Wild Card
Detroit Red Wings (84 pts, 7 games remaining)
Columbus Blue Jackets (82 points, 8 games remaining)
In the hunt
Washington Capitals (81 pts, 7 games remaining), Toronto Maple Leafs (80 pts, 6 games remaining), New Jersey Devils (77 pts, 8 games remaining)
Toast
Ottawa Senators (76 pts, 8 games remaining), Carolina Hurricanes (74 pts, 8 games remaining),
Western Conference
Central Division
X-St. Louis Blues (107 pts, 8 games remaining)
X- Colorado Avalanche (100 pts, 8 games remaining)
X-Chicago Blackhawks (99 pts, 6 games remaining)
Pacific Division
X-Anaheim Ducks (104 pts, 8 games remaining)
X-San Jose Sharks (103 pts, 6 games remaining)
Los Angeles Kings (94 pts, 7 games remaining)
Wild Card
Minnesota Wild (87 pts, 7 games remaining)
Phoenix Coyotes (84 pts, 7 games remaining)
In the hunt
Dallas Stars (83 pts, 8 games remaining)
Toast
Vancouver Canucks (79 pts, 6 games remaining ), Nashville Predators (77 pts, 6 games remaining), Winnipeg Jets (75 points, 7 games remaining)
Sunday recap
Boston Bruins 4, Philadelphia Flyers 3 (SO)
The Bruins appear well on their way to the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile the Flyers pick up a point, which keeps them within striking distance of the Rangers for home-ice in the first round of the playoffs.
Ottawa Senators 6, Calgary Flames 3
The Senators playoff hopes continue to live on thanks to the inconsistency of the teams around them, as yesterday’s victory moved the Senators to six points back with eight games remaining. Making the postseason remains a very unlikely proposition with the Capitals, Devils and the Leafs (well maybe not the Leafs) in front of them, but having some chance is better than having none.
Detroit Red Wings 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
At a time where it could be argued no one wants the wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference, the Red Wings at least stepped up with their second straight win. At 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, the Wings are actually playing the best of those teams in the wild-card hunt and are now in the first wild-card spot. The Lightning remain two points back of the Canadiens for the second spot in the Atlantic, and home ice in the first round, with a game in hand. However, the Canadiens own the tie breaker, regulation and overtime wins.
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Pittsburgh is showing life, having won two straight. Of course, it came against a Chicago team that has now lost three straight. The Penguins are pretty much locked into the second spot in the East while the Blackhawks are now third in the Central Division with the second-place Avalanche owning two games in hand.
Nashville Predators 4, Washington 3 (SO)
Nashville’s playoff hopes are all but extinguished, as the Predators trail the Stars by six points and have played two more games than Dallas. But the Predators played a spoiler role yesterday, downing the Capitals in a shootout, denying Washington a precious second point. The Capitals trail the Blue Jackets for the second wild-card spot by a point and have played one more game than Columbus.
New York Rangers 5, Edmonton Oilers 0
The Rangers failed to get things done in Calgary but owned in Edmonton. The win keeps the Rangers two up on the Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division, though the Flyers do have two games in hand.
Monday’s games
Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators
This is an elimination game for the Hurricanes. They have little chance anyway, but a loss in Ottawa, to a team they currently trail by two points already, would pretty much seal their fate. A win for the Senators keeps them at the fringes, though they’ll need the other teams to go on a Leafs-like collapse.
Florida Panthers at New Jersey Devils
The Devils are hanging around, and could be a tough out if they made the postseason, provided they made the right decision in goal. New Jersey does need help though, as a win would still leave it three points behind Columbus for the last wild-card spot, two behind Washington and one behind Toronto.
Winnipeg Jets at Anaheim Ducks
The Jets are toast in the West, but they can still play a factor in the postseason race. A win tonight would hurt Anaheim’s chances at securing the top spot in the West and its shot at winning the Pacific.
Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings
The Wild stopped the bleeding with a win over Phoenix on Sunday. The victory increased Minnesota’s lead in the first-wild card spot to three points over the Coyotes. As for the Kings, they will play second-place team in the Pacific, either the Ducks or the Sharks.
