Here's the playoff races that will be interesting in the last month of the regular season:
Atlantic Division Title Philadelphia Flyers vs. New Jersey Devils Devils: 89 points, 39-19-6-5 with 13 games left Flyers: 87 points, 36-18-11-4 with 13 games left 4 point game: March 17, Philadelphia @ New Jersey
4th Seed in the Eastern Conference Flyers/Devils loser vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs: 83 points, 38-26-5-2 with 11 games left 4 point game: April 1, Toronto @ New Jersey
Southeast Division Title Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals Lightning: 80 points, 32-23-11-5 with 11 games left Capitals: 79 points, 33-26-8-5 with 11 games left
Central Division Title Detroit Red Wings vs. St. Louis Blues Red Wings: 92 points, 40-18-9-3 with 12 games left Blues: 87 points, 36-19-9-6 with 12 games left 4 point game: March 22, Detroit @ St. Louis Another 4 point game: March 29, Detroit @ St. Louis
Northwest Division Title Vancouver Canucks vs. Colorado Avalanche Canucks: 93 points, 40-18-12-1 with 11 games left Avalanche: 89 points, 35-16-12-7 with 12 games left
4th Seed in the Western Conference Blues/Red Wings loser vs. Avalanche/Canucks loser 4 point game: March 18, Vancouver @ St. Louis 4 point game: Apr 6, St. Louis @ Colorado
6th Seed in the Western Conference Minnesota Wild vs. Anaheim Mighty Ducks Wild: 82 points, 36-24-9-1 with 12 games left Ducks: 82 points, 35-25-8-4 with 11 games left
Western Conference #1 Seed Division Winners Against Each Other Stars: 95 points, 39-15-15-2 with 11 games left 4 point game: March 17, Vancouver @ Dallas
President's Trophy Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators Senators: 98 points, 45-18-7-1 with 11 games left
The playoffs are essentially like this:
THE EAST: Senators [1] vs. Bruins or Islanders [8] Atlantic 1st place [2] vs. Bruins or Southeast 2nd place or Islanders [7] Southeast 1st place [3] vs. Southeast 2nd place or Bruins [6] Atlantic 2nd place [4/5] vs. Leafs [4/5]
THE WEST: Stars or Northwest 1st place or Central 1st place [1] vs. Oilers [8] Stars or Northwest 1st place or Central 1st place [2] vs. Ducks or Wild [7] Stars or Northwest 1st place or Central 1st place [3] vs. Wild or Ducks [6] Northwest 2nd place [4/5] vs. Central 2nd place [4/5]
Simple, eh?
The Chase Is On: 8th: Oilers [29-23-8-8] 74pts; 14 games left 14th: Flames [23-31-10-4] 60pts; 14 games left Flames must win 7 more games than the Oilers do to make playoffs Any combination of 7 Oilers wins or Flames losses eliminates them from the playoffs
I COMPLETELY disagree. I think the best-of-seven format for all of the rounds works best in hockey. (Maybe because of fond Adams Divison playoff series between my then-beloved Bruins and the hated Canadiens, Sabres, Nordiques, and Whalers.)
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