Bettman says playoff format to stay
If the Blue Jackets intend to reach the Eastern Conference finals in the coming seasons, the road probably will continue to run through the powerful Metro Division.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that the league has no plan to alter its playoff format after a regular season in which three of the league's top four teams hailed from the Metro, and the Blue Jackets (108 points) and Pittsburgh Penguins (111 points) were paired in the first round.
“We’re not looking at changing it.” Bettman said. “Anything could get changed by a vote of the Board of Governors, but it’s not anything anyone is considering right now.”
Detractors have pointed to the Pittsburgh-Columbus series, featuring the No. 2 and No. 4 overall regularseason finishers, as a flaw in the format because it ensures that one of the top teams will be eliminated in the first round.
The system, which accompanied league realignment, has been in place since the 2013-14 season. The division winners play the two wild-card qualifiers, while the second- and third-place teams in each division square off.
Under the old format, the Blue Jackets would have met the Ottawa Senators (98 points) from the Atlantic Division in the first round.
Bettman said one season of Metro dominance — the fourth-place New York Rangers had one fewer point (102) than the Atlantic Division champion Montreal Canadiens — is not a reason to make changes.
“First of all, you never take a snapshot,” Bettman said. “You look at things over time, and the format was intended to accentuate (divisional) rivalries. This (Blue Jackets-Penguins) series will accentuate rivalries. Some of the best rivalries get created by a playoff series.
“And by the way, our competitive balance is so tight that just because a (top seed) is playing a second wild card doesn’t tell you anything.”
Bettman’s latter point is being illustrated in the Washington Capitals-Toronto Maple Leafs series. The Capitals, who have won the Presidents’ Trophy two seasons in a row, are tied with the Maple Leafs 2-2 after winning Game 4 on Wednesday night.
Home Fleury, road Fleury
Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was excellent at home and poor on the road during the regular season. The trend is continuing in the first round of the playoffs.
Fleury allowed a combined two goals in the first two games in Pittsburgh. He yielded nine in the two games at Nationwide Arena, where the Blue Jackets won 5-4 in Game 4.
Game 5 is set for tonight at PPG Paints Arena. During the regular season, Fleury posted a 14-3-2 mark at home with a 2.52 goalsagainst average and .928 save percentage. On the road, he was 4-7-5 with a 3.58 GAA and an .887 save percentage.