After a terrible night for Western Conference wild-card teams that opened the door ever so slightly for a couple of long shots, Tuesday brings us eight more games that will all have some influence on the playoff picture.
Here’s your look at what the first-round matchups would look like today, a couple of interesting stats, and games to keep an eye on Tuesday.
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
If the regular season ended today…
(A1) Tampa Bay vs. (WC2) Columbus
(A2) Boston vs. (A3) Toronto
(M1) Washington vs. (WC1) Pittsburgh
(M2) NY Islanders vs. (M3) Carolina
Here’s what the Eastern Conference standings look like today:
What’d I miss? The Philadelphia Flyers refuse to go away. They are now 18-4-2 since Jan. 19, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for most points over that stretch and their offence is carrying the load. They’re averaging 3.7 goals per game and it’s been three weeks since they’ve scored less than three times in a game. A win over Ottawa Monday night pulled the Flyers to within three points of Columbus and Montreal, with games against Washington, Toronto and Pittsburgh this week.
Fun fact: Remember how awful the NY Islanders were defensively last season, when they allowed a league-high 296 goals-against? The fact they are now one of the best shutdown teams in the league with a tandem of goalies pushing for NHL-best save percentages is why Barry Trotz is the favourite to win the Jack Adams. In Monday’s 2-0 win over Columbus, the Islanders earned their ninth shutout of the season and are now just one off a franchise-best 10 in a season, set in 1975-76.
Currently with a league-low 163 goals-against, the Islanders could become the first team to allow the most goals one season and then allow the fewest the next since the 1917-18 and 1918-19 Ottawa Senators.
Game to watch: Washington at Pittsburgh
Always worth circling on the calendar, there are some playoff implications in the air Tuesday night. Think back a couple weeks ago to the outdoor game against Philadelphia in which the Penguins lost Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin, their top defence pair, and the game. It was a low point on the season and the following morning, Pittsburgh was out of a playoff spot.
But the team rallied and has been 5-1-1 since, including a 4-2 win over Boston Sunday that ended the Bruins’ 19-game point streak. Goal scoring is coming, but more importantly, Matt Murray has settled into a groove with a .937 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average over that stretch, which is among the league’s best. Now tied with Carolina in points and just four back of the Islanders, it’s still entirely possible the Penguins and Capitals will finish 1-2 in the Metro Division.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
If the regular season ended today…
(P1) San Jose vs. (WC2) Minnesota
(P2) Calgary vs. (P3) Vegas
(C1) Winnipeg vs. (WC1) Dallas
(C2) Nashville vs. (C3) St. Louis
Here’s what the Western Conference standings look like today:
What’d I miss? After a brief uptick, the snail race towards one of the West’s two wild-card spots is slowing down again, and so on another night where all the teams ahead of them lost, the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers kept their tiny chances alive.
Minnesota, Colorado and Arizona all combined for three losses and a single goal on Monday, while Edmonton (3-2 over the Rangers) and Chicago (7-1 over the Coyotes) pulled to within five points of the last playoff spot. It’s a tough road ahead of course, with at least three teams to leapfrog, but both are trending in the right direction. Edmonton, specifically, is 7-2-1 over its past 10. That stretch coincides with Andrej Sekera’s return to the roster, but it’s also worth noting five of those seven wins came in one-goal games, indicating this recent run could easily have flipped the other way.
The Oilers don’t play again until Wednesday, but with their next two against New Jersey and Arizona, there’s a chance now Edmonton heads into next week within fair reach of the post-season.
Fun fact: Usually when seven of your remaining 12 games are at home and you’re in the middle of a playoff race you’d consider that a favourable schedule. But, in a stat fun to only those outside the fan base, the Wild have a horrid 1-5-3 record at Xcel Energy Center, during which time they have just 16 goals and have been shut out three times, including Monday’s 3-0 loss to San Jose.
Game to watch: San Jose at Winnipeg
The best game on the slate and another possible Western Conference final preview, we’re pointing this out as one to keep an eye on, with the idea that your other eye is monitoring New Jersey-Calgary. With Vegas surging thanks to Marc-Andre Fleury’s Vezina pitch of a season, and a newly formed super line with Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone and Paul Stastny, it would seem vitally important to win the Pacific Division and end up in a first-round matchup against the second wild card instead.
The Sharks have a one-point lead on the Flames right now, but Calgary has the easier schedule this week. Where San Jose follows tonight’s game with ones against Florida and Nashville to close the week, Calgary gets New Jersey and the Rangers at home before closing out in Winnipeg on Saturday.
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