Hello All,
Today I am going to take a closer look at the playoff push in the eastern conference. Specifically, the race to avoid the Wild Card #2 spot and a future date with the likely Presidents Trophy winning Florida Panthers.
Here is a picture of the standings in the east as it relates to division standings and wild cards spots:
I touched on this in my last blog but here is a closer look at each team and their final push down the stretch:
Washington Capitals:
Points - 99
ROW - 39
Games Remaining - 4
Remaining schedule - TOR, NYI, @NYI, @NYR (back-to-back)
Games Remaining that they will be favorites - 3
Why the Caps Will Escape the WC2 - The Caps have been playing playoff hockey since March 1st. An abysmal December - February temporarily painted a picture that the Caps might actually fall out of playoff contention if something didnt change. The Caps got healthy and started playing like a team who knew what was at stake. The result was a 16-5-2 record since March 1st. This run equates to a .739 point percentage in that span which is good for 4th in the NHL. The Caps are favored -120 today against Toronto who is coming off a back-to-back. The Caps will be favored in the next three games. Should they win those, they will be sitting at 105 points with a final date @ the NYR to finish the season. IF the Caps take care of business and win the games they should, they will have a chance to leapfrog Boston and/or Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Points - 101
ROW - 42
Games Remaining - 3
Remaining schedule - @PHI (back-to-back), EDM, CBJ
Games Remaining that they will be favorites - 3
Why the Penguins Will Escape the WC2 - In mid-April, the Penguins appeared to be losing steam. The Pens lost 5 of their first 6 games to start the month. After the Islanders 6-3 win on 04/14, the Pens were dealt news that Tristian Jarry would likely be out for the season. Casey DeSmith who has been less than consistent on the season was slated to replace Jarry moving forward. DeSmith has stepped up to the task. He has played three games and posted the following stats:
Games Played: 3
Record: 2-1
Save Percentage: .962 (7th in NHL during this span)
GAA: 1.35 (3rd in the NHL during this span)
Casey DeSmith is playing extremely well when the Penguins need it the most. The Pens remaining schedule is the easiest among the three teams we are talking about today. Unless DeSmith DeChanges his recent strong play, I expect the Pens to easily win two of their three remaining games and finish at 105 points. They have the ROW tiebreaker in the event of any tie. They have looked strong in their last two games and it could be a sign they are figuring it out at the right time. The Caps could theoretically pass the Pens if the Caps win all four games remaining and the Pens lose to the Oilers. Its possible, but unlikely.
Boston Bruins
Points - 101
ROW - 46
Games Remaining - 4
Remaining schedule - @MTL (back-to-back), FLA, BUF, @TOR (back-to-back)
Games Remaining that they will be favorites - 2
Why the Bruins Will Escape the WC2 - Like the Penguins, the Bruins also had a tough stretch of hockey in April. The Bruins are 6-5-0 in April and have a .545 point percentage during that span. From April 10th - April 21st, they lost four of six games. The Bruins bounced back and have also won some crucial games this past week. They defeated the Penguins on home-ice on 04/16, they defeated the red hot blues team in St. Louis on 04/19, and had another huge win against the Rangers on home ice yesterday. These are MASSIVE wins for a team that was once spiraling out of the WC1 spot. The Bruins did not do themselves any favors with the losses in April but they still control their own fate. If they win the games they should, they will be fine. Remaining games against Florida and Toronto will be tall tasks.
My Final Projections if teams only win the games they are favorites:
Pittsburgh - 107 points
Boston - 105 points (WC1)
Washington - 105 points (WC2) *Boston wins ROW tiebreaker*
My Final Takeaway as it relates to the Caps - Washington is still in the hunt to avoid the WC2 slot, but they can not afford to lose a game here in the final four games of the season. They will be favored in three of the four remaining games. Between the Caps, the Bruins, and the Penguins, the Caps are playing the best hockey right now. If there is a team that can rattle off four straight to close out the season, it is them. Call me crazy but I think the Caps win three straight and the final game against the Rangers will be a game to clinch WC1 if they win it.
Who do you think finishes as the Wild Card #2 and plays Florida?
QuizWiz
That is all for today. Thank you for reading and GO CAPS!
Washington Capitals Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»
