Manic Monday features slate of meaningful games
The Washington Capitals run the gamut from being plugged into all the NHL playoff scenarios to having no clue what else is going on.
“It’s a really big game for us and them,” Capitals defenseman Vincent Iorio said Sunday ahead of today’s game against the Boston Bruins. “They’re trying to, I don’t know exactly what they’re trying to do, but we know what we’re trying to do.”
Win the Atlantic Division, but who’s counting? Seven of today’s eight games have some impact on the postseason picture, whether it’s who gets in or where teams are seeded.
EASTERN CONFERENCE »
The heat is really on in the East, where the New York Islanders can clinch a spot by winning at rival New Jersey. Meanwhile, the Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins against Nashville and Detroit Red Wings against Montreal are all trying to stay in the mix.
“We’ve just been handling it and I’ve just handled it as we have over the last two-plus months of staying in the moment and focusing on the day’s opponent that’s in front of us, and then once we get through that, we move on to the next one,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “It gets a little bit different as we get down to really the final two games, making sure that everybody’s understanding of the circumstances but we’re not overblowing any situation or any game.”
If the Capitals, Penguins and Red Wings all lose in regulation, Pittsburgh and Detroit would be eliminated, setting up a win-andin matchup Tuesday night between Washington and Philadelphia. Things could also come down to Penguins-Islanders on Wednesday night.
Boston would wrap up the Atlantic and set up a first-round matchup with Tampa Bay with a win at Washington, ensuring Florida versus Toronto, too.
The New York Rangers, at home against the Ottawa Senators, can clinch the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs with a win of any kind.
All eight spots in the West are locked up, but the only firstround matchup locked in is Winnipeg versus Colorado as the Nos. 2-3 matchup in the Central. Dallas has already clinched that division,
WESTERN CONFERENCE »
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
x-Vancouver x-Edmonton x-Kings x-Vegas Seattle Calgary Ducks
San Jose y-Dallas x-Winnipeg x-Colorado x-Nashville St. Louis Minnesota Arizona Chicago
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
x-Boston x-Florida x-Toronto x-Tampa Bay Detroit Buffalo Ottawa Montreal
Note:
GP W
80 79 80 80 80 80 81 80
CENTRAL DIVISION
81 80 81 81 81 80 81 80
GP W
80 81 80 80 80 81 80 80
Sunday’s results
Today’s games
Tuesday’s games
49 48 43 44 33 37 26 19
GP W
51 50 49 47 43 38 35 23 47 51 46 44 39 38 36 30
GP W
St. Louis 4, Seattle 1 Vegas 4, Colorado 3, OT Carolina 4, Chicago 2 Calgary 6, Arizona 5
Wednesday’s games
L OT Pts GF GA
22 25 26 28 34 38 50 52
L OT Pts GF GA
21 24 25 29 33 33 41 52
L OT Pts GF GA
18 24 24 28 32 37 40 36
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
9 107 273 218 6 102 282 225 11 97 250 208 8 96 263 240 13 79 210 229 5 79 247 266 5 57 200 294 9 47 178 317 9 111 296 233 6 106 251 194 7 105 299 253 5 99 267 244 5 91 238 248 9 85 245 258 5 75 251 272 5 51 174 282 15 109 266 219 6 108 263 198 10 102 297 252 8 96 283 260 9 87 268 266 6 82 242 242 4 76 252 276 14 74 228 279
L OT Pts GF GA
x-N.Y. Rangers 81 54 23 4 112 278 229 x-Carolina 81 52 22 7 111 276 210 N.Y. Islanders 80 37 27 16 90 237 258 Washington 80 38 31 11 87 216 256 Philadelphia 81 38 32 11 87 234 259 Pittsburgh 80 37 31 12 86 247 244 New Jersey 81 38 38 5 81 263 279 Columbus 81 26 43 12 64 231 297
Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs. x-clinched playoff spot; y-clinched division; z-clinched conference
Boston at Washington, 4 p.m. Buffalo at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m. Montreal at Detroit, 4 p.m.
N.Y. Islanders at New Jersey, 4 p.m. Nashville at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m. Ottawa at N.Y. Rangers, 4:30 p.m. Minnesota at Kings, 6:30 p.m.
San Jose at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m.
Carolina at Columbus, 4 p.m. Detroit at Montreal, 4 p.m.
Ottawa at Boston, 4 p.m. Washington at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. Toronto at Florida, 4:30 p.m. Seattle at Winnipeg, 5 p.m. Calgary at Vancouver, 7 p.m. Chicago at Vegas, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. Toronto at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m.
St. Louis at Dallas, 6:30 p.m. Edmonton at Arizona, 7 p.m.
but the Stars are still waiting to see which team they’ll open with.
That could come down to what the Kings do at home against Minnesota. The Kings and defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas could each finish third in the Pacific or in either of the wild-card spots.
Edmonton, which hosts last-in-the-league San Jose, could still win that division even after losing to Vancouver on Saturday night. The Oilers might want that if it can set up a third consecutive year facing L.A. and not so much if it means starting against the Golden Knights or Predators.