With the NHL playoff race heating up, we track the teams impacted by last night’s results and which of tonight’s games will affect the playoff picture.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
If the season ended today…
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (1) vs. NEW YORK RANGERS (8)
MONTREAL CANADIENS (2) vs. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (7)
WASHINGTON CAPITALS (3) vs. OTTAWA SENATORS (6)
BOSTON BRUINS (4) vs. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (5)
Who’s already clinched? Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens.
Who can clinch tonight? Boston Bruins can lock up a sixth straight post-season berth with a win or overtime loss.
What’d I miss? Sunday was a quiet day in the Eastern Conference, however the Buffalo Sabres picked up a valuable two points with a 3-1 win over the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Sabres are in 10th in the East with 42 points and sit just four points behind the eighth place New York Rangers. With just five games remaining on their schedule, it will be a long shot for Buffalo to qualify, but they managed to stay in the race with that win.
Monday’s game to watch: Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins
With a win or overtime loss the Bruins will join the Penguins and Canadiens as the only teams to clinch a playoff spot in the East. Also, a Bruins win coupled with a Canadiens loss will see Boston leapfrog the Habs for top spot in the Northeast Division and second in the conference.
Paul McLean’s squad is looking for their third straight win and with the likes of Craig Anderson and Milan Michalek back in their lineup the Sens have an opportunity to continue to gain momentum heading into the post-season.
The game can be seen on Sportsnet East with coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Tonight’s sked:
New Jersey vs. Toronto – The Maple Leafs look to move two points closer to clinching their first playoff spot since the 2003-04 season, while the Devils need a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Philadelphia vs. Montreal – The Habs aim to bounce back from a one-sided loss to the rival Maple Leafs Saturday, while the Flyers try avoiding a fifth straight loss.
Fun fact: Only the Chicago Blackhawks have given up fewer goals against than the Bruins and Senators. In 41 games, the Sens have given up just 89 goals and the Bruins have allowed 91 so their matchup tonight could be a low-scoring affair.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
If the season ended today…
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (1) vs. DETROIT RED WINGS (8)
ANAHEIM DUCKS (2) vs. MINNESOTA WILD (7)
VANCOUVER CANUCKS (3) vs. ST. LOUIS BLUES (6)
LOS ANGELES KINGS (4) vs. SAN JOSE SHARKS (5)
Who’s already clinched? Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks
Who can clinch tonight? No one.
What’d I miss? The Red Wings picked up a key win over the Nashville Predators Sunday to move back into eighth place in the West, two points ahead of the surging Dallas Stars. Also, the Blackhawks ended Brian Elliott’s incredible shutout streak with a 2-0 win over the Blues and widened their lead atop the Western Conference standings.
Monday’s game to watch: Minnesota Wild vs. Calgary Flames
The Wild are in the thick of things in the West with 47 points. A win can potentially lift them into a tie for fifth, but a regulation loss could potentially see them in a tie for ninth. That’s how close things have become down the stretch. The Wild are just 3-6-1 in their last 10 and on a three-game skid, but the Flames on the other hand have won three of their last four.
Ironically, after trading away their two best skaters in captain Jarome Iginla and Jay Bouwmeester, the Flames are playing some of their best hockey of the season right now.
Fans can watch the Flames host the Wild on Sportsnet West with coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. MT.
Tonight’s sked:
Vancouver vs. Nashville – Canucks look to bounce back from a 4-3 loss to the last place Avalanche.
Dallas vs. Chicago – With a sixth straight win, the Stars can leapfrog the Red Wings for the eighth spot since they own the tiebreak.
Columbus vs. Colorado – The Blue Jackets can continue their improbable run and potentially be tied with Detroit, Minnesota and Dallas with 47 points by the end of the night.
San Jose vs. Phoenix – The Sharks can pull within one point of the fourth place Kings as they fight for home ice advantage.
Fun fact: In 34 games this season Wild forward Zenon Konopka has registered 100 penalty minutes without registering a single point. That’s the most PIMs from any player without a point. Next on the list is John Scott of the Sabres with 52 PIMs, followed by Blackhawks’ Brandon Bollig with 49.
