Blue Jackets putting serious heat on Capitals in Presidents' Trophy race
The Washington Capitals haven't had to sweat much in their quest to secure the NHL's top seed, but the Columbus Blue Jackets are cranking up the thermostat down the stretch.
Cam Atkinson's overtime winner Saturday gave the Blue Jackets their third straight victory and sixth win in their last seven games. It also temporarily drew them even with the Capitals for top spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Eastern Conference, and the league as a whole, albeit with an asterisk.
#CBJ are tied with Capitals in points (98) and regulation/overtime wins (44), but #Caps technically in first place because of head-to-head.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) March 18, 2017
#CBJ have taken 2 of 3 from #Caps this season, but first game vs. team that has hosted more games is scrapped. So ... scrap 11/20 win by CBJ
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) March 18, 2017
Counting only game in #Nationwide and second game in Verizon Center, Caps have three points (OTL, W) and #CBJ have two (W, L).
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) March 18, 2017
Entering Saturday night's action, both teams had 12 games remaining on their regular-season schedules, and both will play five at home and seven on the road, but the Capitals have an easier road to the preliminary hardware.
Washington will close out the regular season with a pair of home-road back-to-backs, but they play the lowly Arizona Coyotes twice and the league-worst Colorado Avalanche once beforehand.
The Blue Jackets close out a back-to-back Sunday, then have to play three more before the postseason begins, so six of their final 11 games will be parts of back-to-back clusters.
Columbus will face Washington twice and battle the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road before season's end, while the Capitals only have two major tests the rest of the way with a road game against the Minnesota Wild and a home date with the New York Rangers.
Still, the two division rivals are headed in opposite directions at the moment. While the Blue Jackets have reeled off seven wins in their last 10 games, the Capitals have lost five of their last six.
The chase for the league's No. 1 spot could be decided April 2, when the Capitals host the Blue Jackets in their final pre-playoff meeting. However, considering the way both clubs have been playing, it might not be decided until the final day of the regular season.