Check out the standings here.
There is good news. And there is bad news.
After last night’s set of games, I believe we have officially clinched a playoff spot. That is terrific and a great relief. We are in the playoffs again two years in a row. Check one tiny thing to do off of the list.
The bad news is that we still have work to do. Carolina is the hottest team in the NHL right now. They are now only 8 points behind us for the division lead although we do have one game in hand on them. Friday’s game looms large at home now against Tampa.
But here comes Philadelphia too. They have 90 points but they have played three less games than us and both NJ and Boston have two games in hand on us as well.
We have just 7 games left to play, four at home and three on the road.
Winning would be clarifying. Time to sprint to the finish line.
Philly is a non-factor. You know the SE Champ gets an auto 3.
If the Caps win the Southeast they get third seen and it does not matter what the Flyers do.
Don’t think we should care about other teams. Even if we are 100pts ahead the Caps need to get into the playoff frame of mind and start doing the little things right. Time to start now.
The magic number is 2. We need a combination of 2 caps wins, hurricane losses to clinch the division.
We don’t care about Philly. Even if they do exceed our point totals we still hold the number 3 spot as we’ll win the division.
I find it hard to believe the caps won’t take 2 games from Tampa (X2), Atlanta (X2), the Islanders (worst team in the league), Buffalo, and Florida.
Even if we lay an egg over the last month of the season, Carolina would still have to win out against the Devils (X2), Rangers, Pittsburgh, Islanders, and Buffalo.
If I was a betting man – I’d put everything I own on the caps winning the division.