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…
Who’s already clinched? Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens
Who can clinch tonight? There are no clinching scenarios in the Eastern Conference tonight.
What’d I miss? A whole lot. The Lightning clinched their first playoff birth in three seasons with a 3-1 win over the Canadiens. Despite the loss, the Habs also clinched because the Stars blew out the Capitals and the Devils lost to the basement-dwelling Sabres in OT to put a damper on their respective post-season aspirations. The Leafs kept their playoff hopes alive by picking up a 3-2 win over the Flames and snapping their dismal eight-game losing streak in the process. It wasn’t a perfect performance by any stretch, but the two points gained is all that matters. The Blue Jackets picked up a valuable point in an OT loss to the Avalanche to remain in the eighth spot and pull within one point of the Red Wings. Also, the Rangers beat the Canucks to create a bit of separation from their Metropolitan Division rival Flyers, who took the Blues to a shootout in an exciting, scoreless affair.
Wednesday’s game to watch:
Boston Bruins @ Detroit Red Wings – The Bruins have dominated the majority of their opponents this season, but they’ve dropped two of three meetings against the Red Wings this season. Detroit is riding high after key wins over Toronto and Tampa Bay on the weekend and are in control of their own destiny, which is added motivation to come out flying against an Original Six opponent like the Bruins, who currently lead the Presidents’ Trophy race. Gustav Nyquist has been a man possessed of late with 11 goals in his last nine games, and he must continue to pilot the Red Wings’ attack with Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Alfredsson all out of the lineup. An interesting dynamic to this matchup is the fact Detroit is one of the worst home teams this season, while the Bruins have one of the best road records.
Fun fact: Martin St Louis scored his first goal with the Rangers Tuesday to snap a 16-game goalless drought, his longest dry spell since the 1999-2000 season.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
If the season ended today…
Who’s already clinched? St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks
Who can clinch tonight? The Kings will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Coyotes in any fashion.
What’d I miss? The Stars dismantled the Capitals and leapfrogged the Coyotes to temporarily slip into eighth. Two second-period goals from Ray Whitney and Dustin Jeffrey 34 seconds apart chased Jaroslav Halak from the net as the listless Caps dropped their fourth straight. The Coyotes fell to the Jets in a shootout, but the one point kept them tied with the Stars at 85 points; the Stars have one game in hand on the Desert Dogs. The Canucks lost their third straight, and while they’re still mathematically alive – six points out with five games remaining — John Tortorella’s team is done. The Sharks have struggled of late, with just two wins in their last six outings, but a 5-4 victory over the Oilers got them back on track. They have a stranglehold on second place in the Pacific and still have a chance to catch the Ducks.
Wednesday’s game to watch:
Phoenix Coyotes @ Los Angeles Kings – The Kings always hit their stride at this time of year, and an impressive 11-4 run in March is further proof of that. Despite being the better team, the Kings have struggled against the Coyotes this season, with Phoenix winning three of four meetings. If they come out on top tonight, the Coyotes will leapfrog the Stars for eighth in the West. Goalie Thomas Greiss has filled in admirably for the injured Mike Smith, while Mikkel Boedker has led the way offensively.
Fun fact: For the first time in team history, the St Louis Blues have three goalies with 10 or more wins in the same season. Ryan Miller already has 10 victories since being acquired by the Sabres; Brian Elliott has 17 wins in only 28 appearances; Jaroslav Halak earned 24 wins for the Blues before the team sent him packing to Buffalo.
The rest of tonight’s schedule:
New York Islanders @ Ottawa Senators – If the Sens wish to extend their current winning streak to four and keep their slim playoff chances alive, they must do so without captain Jason Spezza, who’s out with a lower-body injury.
Edmonton Oilers @ Anaheim Ducks – The Ducks can pull within one point of the Blues for first in the West if they manage to get past the Oilers, who put up a valiant effort against the Sharks last night.