The playoff picture and some tough choices to make

The playoff picture

The big game for the Rangers was their own win over Columbus.  The loss pushed Philadelphia ahead of the Blue Jackets in the wild card due to games played and the Rangers moved to within seven points of a playoff spot.

In other games, the Canadiens dropped a 4-1 decision to the Penguins.  Newly acquired Jason Zucker scored twice  for Pittsburgh as Montreal is fading out of the playoff picture. They are now three points behind the Blueshirts and have played three additional games.  Good-bye.

The Devils didn’t do the Rangers any favors, losing to the Hurricanes 5-2.  Carolina remains five points ahead of the New York and only two points out of the wild card.

The standings

Atlantic Div.  GP    W-L-OTL      PTS     RW
Boston            58      35-11-12     82      31
Tampa             58      38-15-5       81      31
Toronto           58      30-20-8       68      22
Met Div.         GP      W-L-OTL     PTS    RW
Washington   57      37-15-5       79     28
Pittsburgh      56      35-15-6       76     24
Islanders        56      33-17-6       72       22
Wild Card       GP       W-L-OTL     PTS   RW
Philadelphia   58      32-19-7        71    23
Columbus       59      30-18-11     71    23
Contenders   GP      W-L-OTL      PTS   RW
Carolina          57     33-21-3        69     23
Florida             57     30-21-6       66     25
Rangers           57     30-23-4       64     26
Montreal         60     27-26-7       61     17
Buffalo             58     26-24-8       60     19
New Jersey     57     21-26-10     52    16
Ottawa             57     18-28-11     47    14
Detroit              59     14-41-4       32     11

The key games today

There’s a full slate of 11 games in the NHL today. Five of them have potential playoff implications for New York.

Flyers @ Lightning  – This is the big one.  It’s the kind of game that must go predictably with the red hot Lightning beating the Flyers.  Both teams are playing well so this should be a good one.

Islanders @ Golden Knights –  The Rangers have pulled within eight points of the Islanders, but they have played one more game.   The odds of catching them are slim and the Isles have to lose games like this if the Blueshirts are to have any chance at all.

Oilers @ Panthers –  The Panthers are still ahead of the Blueshirts in the overall standings, however if they don’t make it to third place in the Atlantic, they will probably not make the wild card.  To ensure that, we need the Oilers to win.

Maple Leafs @  Senators –  Ditto for the Leafs.  They are two points up on the Panthers in the fight to be the last Atlantic Division team to make the playoffs.  Go Senators.

Stars @ Canadiens – We put a fork in the Canadiens last night when they lost to Pittsburgh, but a loss to Dallas at home will bury them.

The lottery look

With all of this playoff chatter, it’s still important to keep an eye on the lottery standings as they could become much more relevant in nine days.  By winning, the Rangers keep slipping further and further away from lottery Nirvana and are now 14th from the bottom of the NHL. They are still just a few points away from finishing as low as sixth or seventh from the bottom.

What’s amazing is that the Coyotes have the same number of points as the Rangers and are in the wild card in the Western Conference.  For lottery purposes, that means the Blueshirts are actually 13th in terms of lottery positioning.

Feel bad for the Carolina Hurricanes who are on the outside of the playoff standings and have a better record than five teams currently in the playoffs.

The standings (Worst is first)

Teams                  GR     W-L-OTL       PT    RW
1. Detroit              59     14-41-4       32     11
2. Los Angeles    58     20-33-5       45     14
3. Ottawa            57     19-27-11     49     15
4. Anaheim         57      30-17-7       52     16
5. New Jersey     57     21-26-10     52      16
6. San Jose          57     25-28-4        54     19
7.  Chicago           57     25-24-8       58     18
8. Buffalo             58     26-24-8       60     19
9.  Montreal         60     27-26-7       61    17
10.  Nashville      56    27-22-7        61     22
11.  Minnesota    57    27-23-7       61     24
12. Winnipeg        59    29-25-5       63    22
13. Arizona            60   28-24-8        64    20
14.  Rangers         57     30-23-4       64     26
15. Calgary            59    30-23-6        66    20
16. Vegas               59    29-22-8        66     22
17. Florida             57    30-21-6        66     25
18. Edmonton      57    30-21-6        66     26
20. Toronto           58    30-20-8        68     22
19. Carolina          57     33-21-3        69     23
21. Vancouver      58    32-21-5        69      25
22. Columbus       59     30-18-11     71     23
23.Philadelphia   58      32-19-7       71     23
24. Dallas              57     33-19-5       71      23
25. Islanders         56    33-17-6       72      22
26. Colorado         56     33-17-6       72      30

Second East Wild Card Cut Line:  69 points
Second West Wild Card Cut Line:  64 points
Playoff  teams in italics.