A quick calculation of Mike Babcock's math has the Toronto Maple Leafs making the postseason.
Following Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Maple Leafs bench boss said, "Our goal is to always get six points in every five game segment here, and we've come up one short."
Should the team meet that goal, it works out to 98 points. Last season, three Eastern teams qualified for the playoffs with fewer than 98 points. The year prior, the Pittsburgh Penguins grabbed the last spot with 98 points.
The Maple Leafs have posted a 1-1-3 record this season, good for five points, with their lone win coming against the Boston Bruins.
As for the coach's goal, 98 points would mark a 29-point improvement over last year, and the team's best finish since a franchise-record 103 points in 2003-04.
"We've played one at home and four on the road, if I'm not mistaken," Babcock added. "We've managed to get points on the road. We could've won every game we've played in."
The Maple Leafs last qualified for the playoffs in 2013, their first appearance since 2004.
The team's next five-game segment begins Tuesday as the Maple Leafs take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
