NHL playoff picture: Penguins fail to move up in Metro, Ducks clinch Pacific
It was a relatively quite night on the NHL schedule, with minimal implications in terms of playoff qualification.
A couple teams were vying for positioning and home ice advantage, while the bottom of the standings were all the buzz.
Here's how the playoff picture looks after Wednesday's action.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| X - Montreal | 77 | 102 |
| X Tampa Bay | 78 | 101 |
| Detroit | 76 | 93 |
No changes here, as Detroit get set for a Thursday showdown with Boston in order to secure the third spot.
Metropolitan
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| X - NY Rangers | 76 | 103 |
| NY Islanders | 77 | 95 |
| Pittsburgh | 77 | 95 |
The Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the rival Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 4-1, thereby failing to jump over the New York Islanders for second place in the division.
Both clubs have five games remaining in which to decide who will have home-ice advantage in the opening round.
Wild Card
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 77 | 94 |
| Boston | 77 | 91 |
| Ottawa | 76 | 88 |
All three of these teams were idle, getting a much-needed night off with only a handful of games remaining on the schedule.
Current Matchups
Montreal (A1) vs. Washington (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Detroit (A3)
NY Rangers (M1) vs. Boston (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. NY Islanders (M3)
Western Conference
Central
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| X - Nashville | 78 | 103 |
| St. Louis | 76 | 99 |
| Chicago | 76 | 98 |
The Central's top three clubs did not take the ice, leaving the Nashville Predators to sit back and wonder whether they can hold off the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks for the division crown.
Pacific
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Y - Anaheim | 79 | 107 |
| Vancouver | 77 | 95 |
| Calgary | 77 | 91 |
With a 5-1 win over the lowly Edmonton Oilers, the Anaheim Ducks became the first team to clinch first place in their division. They achieved the feat for the third straight season, and remain on top of the NHL's overall standings.
Wild Card
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 76 | 95 |
| Winnipeg | 77 | 90 |
| Los Angeles | 76 | 88 |
While these wild card candidates sat idle, the NHL announced a hearing for Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, which could be a defining moment in the tight race for the second spot.
Current Matchups
Nashville (C1) vs. Minnesota (WC1)
St. Louis (C2) vs. Chicago (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Winnipeg (WC2)
Vancouver (P2) vs. Calgary (P3)
Race for last
| Team | GP | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina | 76 | 67 |
| Toronto | 78 | 64 |
| Edmonton | 77 | 59 |
| Arizona | 77 | 54 |
| Buffalo | 77 | 52 |
As mentioned above, the Maple Leafs and Sabres squared off in Buffalo, where the Sabres picked up the two points with a 4-3 win in regulation.
As a result Toronto remained three points ahead of Carolina, while the Sabres moved to within two points of the Arizona Coyotes with five games remaining on the schedule, drawing faint cheers from the desert.
While the 30th-ranked team is guaranteed a top-two pick, 29 could drop right out of the McEichel sweepstakes.
Sabres perilously close to this all being for naught. 2 pts behind AZ now. Good chance neither gets pulled for 1st pick, meaning ... Yikes.
— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) April 2, 2015
The Edmonton Oilers lost in Anaheim, and they remain firmly in the 28 spot.
Long live the rebuild!