The NHL Playoff Push is our daily look back and ahead at the post-season picture as teams position themselves for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
If the season ended today…
(A1) vs. 
(WC2)
(A1) vs. 
(WC2)
(M1) vs. 
(WC1)
(A2) vs. 
(A3)
(M2) vs. 
(M3)
Note: The NHL changed the playoff format last season. Click here for full details.
Series we’d love to see: New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins — An original six matchup between two iconic American cities. When these two teams met up in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, it was quite a show. The Rangers have a Stanley Cup appearance under their belt since then and definitely mean business. Plus, with two top-tier goalies facing off, the series could have some definite highlight-reel steals.
What’d I miss? Justin Abdelkader led the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues, keeping up their playoff pace to hang on to third place in the Atlantic Division… The Tampa Bay Lightning won a heated 5-3 battle over the Boston Bruins, stalling the Bruins’ playoff pace… The New York Rangers took over the top spot in the standings when they dominated the Anaheim Ducks 7-2. The Rangers, Ducks and Canadiens are now all at 99 points — but the Rangers have some games in hand.
Monday’s game to watch: San Jose Sharks vs. Ottawa Senators: The playoff-hungry Senators are on such a roll, just about every one of their games is a must-watch as they head down the final stretch. The Senators have won six straight thanks in large part to goaltender Andrew Hammond. Boston’s loss to Tampa Bay Sunday opens the door for the Senators to Hamburgle their way into the final wild card spot. San Jose, meanwhile, is hanging on by a thread. If they have any hope of keeping their playoff dreams alive, this is it.
The rest of Monday’s sked:
– With the exception of Ottawa’s game, Monday night belongs to the Western conference, with plenty of the west’s playoff-pushing teams looking to capitalize on matchups with the least of the East.
Fun fact: Andrew Hammond is two wins away from tying Patrick Lalime’s 16-game record (PIT, 1996-97) for most consecutive games without a regulation loss by a goaltender to start his NHL career.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
If the season ended today…
(P1) vs. 
(WC2)
(C1) vs. 
(WC1)
(C2) vs. 
(C3)
(P2) vs. 
(P3)
Series we’d love to see: St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild: The Blues are long overdue to make some waves in the playoffs, while the Minnesota Wild don’t have those same kind of expectations. That should make for an interesting dynamic.
What’d I miss? The Blues lost their third straight game, falling 2-1 in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings… The Anaheim Ducks stayed put at 99 points, letting in a season-worst seven goals … The Vancouver Canucks got a lucky bounce versus the Arizona Coyotes to win their second straight game.
Monday’s game to watch: Los Angeles Kings vs. New Jersey Devils: The Kings have lost two in a row and they can’t afford to make it three. They will look to start a five-game road trip with a big two points. If they want to keep fighting for their playoff lives, they’ll need to keep pace with the rolling Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.
The rest of Monday’s sked:
– Blackhawks vs. Hurricanes: The Blackhawks look to regain their scoring prowess after Saturday’s uncharacteristic goose egg.
– Wild vs. Maple Leafs: The Wild are looking for an easy win before they take on the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
– Avalanche vs. Flames: The Flames look to bounce back from Saturday’s overtime loss to the Blue Jackets.
– Jets vs. Oilers: Two points would go a long way in helping the Jets stay put in the wild card spot.
Fun fact: The Vancouver Canucks are 24-6-2 when scoring the 1st goal of the game.
