NHL News: The NHL Eastern Conference Wild Card Is Coming Down To A Photo Finish Between Four Teams By Brody Sorbera
As I am typing this, the NHL regular season has only three days of games left, and most of the playoff picture is set, with one MASSIVE caveat: the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With Washington, Detroit, and Pittsburgh all winning their respective games on April 15, it still leaves four teams in the running for the last playoff spot; the Washington Capitals currently hold that spot with 89 points, holding a tiebreaker over the Detroit Red Wings who also have 89 points coming off a massive comeback OT win over the Montreal Canadians coming from a three-goal deficit to steal the game in overtime. The third team with 88 points, the Pittsburgh Penguins, was a team that looked dead in the water as recently as early March but has made a spectacular run to put themselves back in contention. Remember, this team is among the oldest in the NHL in terms of average age and was selling at the deadline, but has now clawed back, with Sidney Crosby turning back the clock 10 years being a massive boost.
The last team contending with a late-season collapse barely hanging on with 87 points, the Philadelphia Flyers, who at one point were a legitimate threat to Metropolitan division leaders, the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, have had massive skids in the last month, which has had them dropped out of the playoff picture but with recent wins against the Rangers and Bruins have them hanging on by a thread. The Washington Capitals meet the Philidelphia Flyers tonight, which could end this race right there if Washington wins, but here’s where things get wacky.
If Washington loses to Philly in regulation, but if they take to OT and still lose, they get one point and can hang on. Detroit can clinch if they beat Montreal again and Washington loses but is eliminated if they lose or Washington gets at least one point by going to overtime. The Pittsburgh Penguins are forced to watch nervously as they don’t play until the next day and need both Washington and Detroit to lose (preferably in regulation) and play against the Islanders on Wednesday. The Flyers need to beat the Capitals in regulation and need Detroit to lose, as they get one point by going to overtime. They are eliminated and need help the next day, as Pittsburgh loses. I could go into the other races purely for positioning, but I feel I am already making the readers’ heads spin, so the games to watch tonight are Washington vs. Philadelphia and Detroit vs. Montreal; this is already one of the most memorable endings to any regular season I’ve ever seen, and I’m looking forward to the playoffs that should top it.