With the NHL playoffs quickly approaching, every day of the regular season has gained increased importance. Here at Sporting News we’ll keep you updated with the latest playoff positioning, the teams in the hunt, the previous days games and a look forward to tonight’s action.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
X- Boston Bruins (106 pts, 9 games remaining)
Montreal Canadiens (91pts, 7 games remaining)
Tampa Bay Lighting (89 pts, 9 games remaining)
Metropolitan Division
Pittsburgh Penguins (97 pts, 9 games remaining)
New York Rangers (86 pts, 8 games remaining)
Philadelphia Flyers (83 pts, 10 games remaining)
Wild Card
Columbus Blue Jackets (80 points, 10 games remaining)
Detroit Red Wings (80 pts, 9 games remaining)
In the hunt
Washington Capitals (80 pts, 9 games remaining), Toronto Maple Leafs (80 pts, 8 games remaining), New Jersey Devils (76 pts, 9 games remaining)
Toast
Carolina Hurricanes (73 pts, 9 games remaining), Ottawa Senators (72 pts, 10 games remaining),
Western Conference
Central Division
X-St. Louis Blues (107 pts, 9 games remaining)
Chicago Blackhawks (99 pts, 8 games remaining)
Colorado Avalanche (98 pts, 9 games remaining)
Pacific Division
X-San Jose Sharks (103 pts, 7 games remaining)
X-Anaheim Ducks (101 pts, 10 games remaining)
Los Angeles Kings (92 pts, 8 games remaining)
Wild Card
Minnesota Wild (85 pts, 8 games remaining)
Phoenix Coyotes (84 pts, 8 games remaining)
In the hunt
Dallas Stars (79 pts, 10 games remaining), Vancouver Canucks (79 pts, 7 games remaining)
Toast
Nashville Predators (75 pts, 8 games remaining), Winnipeg Jets (75 points, 8 games remaining)
Thursday recap
Boston Bruins 3, Chicago Blackhawks
The Bruins didn’t quite clinch the Atlantic Division thanks to Tampa Bay’s shootout victory over the Islanders. But they still took another step towards locking up the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the win, moving nine points clear of Pittsburgh.
The loss severely hurts any chance the Blackhawks had at catching the Blues for the top spot in the Central. In fact, with the Avalanche just a point behind, the Blackhawks may not even have home-ice in the first round of the playoffs.
Phoenix Coyotes 3, New Jersey Devils 2 (SO)
Thomas Greiss filled in admirably for the injured Mike Smith Thursday, stopping 26-of-28 shots and then all three in the shootout to help Phoenix to its seventh win in 10 games. The win moved the Coyotes five points clear of Dallas and Vancouver for the last playoff spot in the West and to within a point of Minnesota for the first wild-card spot.
The Devils horrific shootout luck continues as they dropped to 0-9 in the shootout this year. Just a little bit more fortune would probably have the Devils in the playoffs. But don’t feel too bad- Jersey’s woes also have to do with their choice of goalie.
Los Angeles Kings 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
These teams entered the game heading in different directions and this result did nothing to change that narrative, despite the teams switching roles for much of the contest. The Kings blew a 2-0 lead but Drew Doughty picked up the game winner in the third to take it 3-2. The Kings solidified their third position in the Pacific while the Penguins have essentially put themselves into the second seed in the East.
Montreal Canadiens 5, Detroit Red Wings 4
Once again the Red Wings battled back after falling behind against an Atlantic Division foe but were unable to get over the hump against the Canadiens. The teams combined for an exciting five third-period goals but that will be little consolation to Wings fans as Detroit missed an opportunity to get out of the four-way tie for the wild-card.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens stayed ahead of the Lightning for the second spot in the Atlantic.
Tampa Bay Lightning 3, New York Islanders 2 (SO)
In a shootout that went 13 rounds, the Lightning emerged victorious. Tampa’s win temporarily kept Boston from winning the Atlantic and kept it two points behind the Canadiens. The Lightning have two games in hand on Montreal.
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Florida Panthers 0
Unlike Tuesday against the Islanders, the Hurricanes had no problem with an Eastern Conference bottom feeder. The win keeps the Hurricanes’ slim hopes alive.
St. Louis Blues 5, Minnesota Wild 1
If the Blues wanted to face the Wild in the first round, they certainly helped that cause Thursday. The victory pushed the Blues four points clear of the Sharks for the top spot in the West while also owning two games in hand. Meanwhile, the Wild are just a point above the Coyotes for the first wild-card spot. The Wild still have some cushion over the playoff chasers, with a six-point edge on Dallas and Vancouver, but have now dropped two straight and are just 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.
Nashville Predators 6, Buffalo Sabres 1
The Predators kept the dream alive with four first-period goals against the Sabres and cruised to an easy win. The downside is that all the teams in front of them picked up at least a point, so the Predators merely kept pace rather than picked up any ground.
Also the scoreline is a reminder the Sabres don’t have this guy in goal.
Colorado Avalanche 3, Vancouver Canucks 2 (OT)
This was a tough loss for the Canucks, who had fought their way back into the playoff hunt. The point is better than nothing, but the Coyotes increased their lead on the Canucks to five points and own a game in hand on Vancouver. Meanwhile, even though the Canucks are in a points tie with the Stars, Dallas has three games in hand on them. So Vancouver’s playoff hopes look grim at the moment.
Winnipeg Jets 4, San Jose Sharks 3
The Jets, like the Predators, kept their small chances at the playoffs alive with a nice win in San Jose. The biggest playoff impact of the night here is for the Sharks though as they still have just a two-point lead on the Ducks despite playing three more games than Anaheim. Help will be needed for the Sharks to win the Pacific.
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Friday games
Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers
The coldest team in the NHL still can turn it around and make the playoffs. If they don’t soon, Riddick Bowe might have to deck someone.
If the @MapleLeafs lose tomorrow im going to knock out Randy Carlyle. One punch between the eyes #TMLtalk #Leafs #LeafsNation #BoweLeafsBowe
— Riddick Bowe (@riddickbowe) March 27, 2014
The Flyers, despite a strong run lately, are just three points clear of the four-way tie for the wild card spots, which includes the Maple Leafs. This is essentially a four-point contest for the clubs involved.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets
The Penguins are going to be the second seed in the East, so at this point, it’s all about getting healthy or learning to adjust without their injured players. Columbus has everything to play for, currently in the first wild-card spot by virtue of tie breakers. Sergei Bobrovsky is out with the flu.
#CBJ G Curtis McElhinney will start vs. #Pens. Bobrovsky on ice now, but not ready to play, coach Todd Richards said. McKenna the backup.
— Shawn Mitchell (@smitchcd) March 28, 2014
Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators
The Blackhawks look to be fighting with the Avalanche for home-ice in the first round while the Senators try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Chicago can clinch a playoff spot tonight with either a point or a Stars loss.
Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars
This is certainly a four-point game for Nashville as it cannot afford to fall six points behind Dallas. The Stars, with at least two games in hand on every team they are chasing, could survive a loss. But it would still make their road a whole lot tought.
New York Rangers at Calgary Flames
The Rangers do hold a six-point edge on the wild card teams and chasers, but also have played more games than every one of them except Toronto. In other words, they still need to get points in their remaining games.
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers
The Ducks would move into first place in the Pacific with a win over Edmonton.