Playoff Percentages: Key win over Panthers gives Bruins big boost
Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.
The Boston Bruins appear poised to end their modest two-year postseason drought. The Bruins, who last qualified for the playoffs in 2014, took a 5-2 win Saturday over the Florida Panthers, moving to 90 points on the season.
The Bruins hold the second wild-card seed and are four points up on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who weren't as successful Saturday, falling in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens. Tampa Bay holds one game in hand on Boston.
In the West, all but one seed is locked in. The Nashville Predators will have a chance to lay claim to the final spot Sunday versus the St. Louis Blues. A single point by Nashville would eliminate the Los Angeles Kings from playoff contention.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | W 5-2 vs. Panthers | 88.6% | +10.9% |
| Maple Leafs | W 5-4 vs. Red Wings | 96.6% | +5.9% |
| Islanders | Off | 2.3% | -0.6% |
| Senators | L 2-4 vs. Jets | 95.6% | -1.7% |
| Hurricanes | L 0-3 vs. Stars | 1.1% | -6.6% |
| Lightning | L 1-2 (OT) vs. Canadiens | 15.7% | -7.8% |
To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.