Playoff Percentages: Lightning storm back, Islanders become prey
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.
While the eight Western Conference playoff teams are pretty much set and now jockeying for position, it looks like the Eastern Conference will contain more drama than the recent "Gilmore Girls" revival.
Long thought to be a write-off, the Tampa Bay Lightning may have saved their season with a massive come-from-behind overtime win against the Blackhawks on Monday.
The Lightning now sit one point back of the Boston Bruins and two points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, both of whom saw their chances improve thanks to a New York Islanders loss.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes' slim chances took a hit after they only picked up a single point in an overtime loss to Detroit.
Here's where they all stand after Monday's action.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | W 5-4 (OT) vs. Blackhawks | 32.3% | +12.5% |
| Bruins | Idle | 65.9% | +3% |
| Maple Leafs | Idle | 80.2% | +1.6% |
| Hurricanes | L 3-4 OT vs. Red Wings | 6.5% | -2.9% |
| Islanders | L 1-3 vs. Predators | 15.7% | -14.2% |
To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.