So who's rooting for the Ottawa Senators to lose on Sunday? The New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, that's who.
No offense, but a Senators loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs (stranger things have happened; need we mention Rob Ford?) would lock the Islanders into a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Isles don't play Sunday, so there will be no celebration at Nassau Coliseum. Just creaking.
Meanwhile, the Capitals need to Sens to lose as part of their clinching scenario. According to NHL.com, Washington has two ways to lock into the playoffs:
— Beat the Detroit Red Wings and see the Sens lose.
— Get a point against the Wings and see the Sens lose in regulation.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in a matinee that further muddled their playoff position. With the Florida Panthers eliminated from playoff contention, the Montreal Canadiens were playing for the East's top seed. They and the Tampa Bay Lightning have 104 points, best in the Atlantic Division.
In the Western Conference, the St. Louis Blues visited the Chicago Blackhawks in a Sunday nightcap with the second and third places in the Central Division at stake.
In Toronto, don't expect the Senators to have any part in making the Caps and Isles smile.
"All we can do is keep winning and let the rest fall into place," Mark Stone told The Ottawa Citizen after Saturday's overtime victory against the Capitals. "It's a huge game (in Toronto); you can't really say much more. If we just continue the winning streak we're on, you just never know what's going to happen."
They have good reason not to take the Leafs lightly. A week again, they coughed up a two-goal lead, lost in overtime and saw a seven-game win streak end.
"I think we've just had mental breakdowns against Toronto," Clarke MacArthur told The Citizen. "We give them power-play opportunities, we gave them chances to get back in the game last time. Just go in (Sunday), both (teams) on a back-to-back, the smarter team's going to win that one. We need it more than they do."
If the Stanley Cup playoffs began Sunday, these would be the matchups (first team listed has home-ice advantage):
Eastern Conference
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins (wild card)
Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (wild card)
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings (2 vs. 3, Atlantic)
New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals (2 vs. 3, Metropolitan)
Outside looking in: Ottawa Senators. The Sens are three points behind the Penguins and Bruins for a wild-card berth.
Western Conference
Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings (wild card)
Nashville Predators vs. Minnesota Wild (wild card)
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks (2 vs. 3, Central)
Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames (2 vs. 3, Pacific)
Outside looking in: Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars.