The Skinny on the Playoff Race: Magic Number Falls to 7 as Isles Win and Red Wings Lose

Over the space of 45 minutes or so on Tuesday, the Isles magic number dropped four separate times.

• The magic number started the night at 11.
• When the Isles game reached overtime, it dropped to 10.
• As overtime was ending, so was the Bruins' regulation loss to New Jersey, pushing the number to 9.
• Kyle Okposo's shootout goal pushed it further, to 8.
• When Montreal closed out their win over the Red Wings, the number fell for the 4th time, to 7.

Elsewhere, the Penguins also won in a shootout, rallying from a deficit to defeat Buffalo 5-4.

(Through games of March 29)

Metropolitan Division Standings (Top 5)

xy Washington 54-16-5=113 points / 75 games (50 ROW) Idle

NY Rangers    43-24-9=95 points / 76 games (40 ROW) Idle

Pittsburgh        43-25-8=94 points / 76 games (39 ROW) Beat Buffalo 5-4 (SO)

ISLES             41-25-9=91 points / 75 games (36 ROW)  Beat Carolina 2-1 (SO)

Philadelphia    37-25-13=87 points/ 75 games (35 ROW) Idle

Atlantic Teams in Wild Card Race

Boston          40-29-8=88 points/ 77 games (36 ROW)  Lost to New Jersey 2-1

Detroit           38-28-11=87 points/ 77 games (36 ROW)  Lost to Montreal 4-3

x Clinched Playoff Spot

y Clinched Division Title, Conference Title and President's Trophy

Best They Can Do (By Winning Every Game in Regulation or Overtime)

• NY Rangers   107 points/ 46 ROW
• Pittsburgh       106 points/ 45 ROW
• ISLES             105 points/ 43 ROW
• Philadelphia    101 points/ 42 ROW
• Boston            98 points/41 ROW
• Detroit             97 points/41 ROW

Remaining Schedule:

• Washington: 3/30 @ Philadelphia, 4/1 @ Colorado, 4/2 @ Arizona, 4/5 vs. ISLES, 4/7 vs. Pittsburgh, 4/9 at St. Louis, 4/10 vs. Anaheim
• NY Rangers: 3/31 @ Carolina, 4/2 vs. Buffalo, 4/4 @ Columbus, 4/5 vs. Tampa Bay, 4/7 vs. ISLES, 4/9 vs. Detroit     
• Pittsburgh: 3/31 vs. Nashville,4/2 @ISLES, 4/3 vs. Philadelphia, 4/5 @ Ottawa, 4/7 @ Washington, 4/9 @ Philadelphia
• ISLES: 3/31 vs. Columbus, 4/2 vs. Pittsburgh, 4/4 vs. Tampa Bay, 4/5 @ Washington, 4/7 @ NY Rangers, 4/9 vs. Buffalo, 4/10 vs. Philadelphia
• Philadelphia: 3/30 vs. Washington, 4/2 vs. Ottawa, 4/3 @ Pittsburgh, 4/6 at Detroit, 4/7 vs. Toronto, 4/9 vs Pittsburgh, 4/10 @ ISLES
• Boston  4/1 @ St. Louis, 4/3 @ Chicago, 4/5 vs. Carolina, 4/7 vs. Detroit, 4/9 vs Ottawa
• Detroit: 4/1 vs. Minnesota, 4/2 @ Toronto, 4/6 vs. Philadelphia, 4/7 at Boston, 4/9 @ NY Rangers

On Their Own

• If the Isles go 3-3-1 they will clinch a playoff spot regardless of what everyone else does.
• If the Isles win their last 7 they will finish no lower than 3rd regardless of what everyone else does.

Magic Number

The Isles’ magic number is clinch a playoff berth is 7 over Detroit, 8 over Boston, 11 over Philadelphia, 16 against Pittsburgh and 17 against the Rangers.  Any combination of Islander points gained and Red Wings points lost totaling 7 will guarantee that the Isles finish ahead of Detroit.

The Isles need to finish ahead of eight teams to clinch a playoff berth.  Assuming the Isles finish ahead of teams currently in 10^th to 16^th place, the Isles also need to finish ahead of Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, the Rangers OR Pittsburgh in order to clinch a playoff berth.

Magic numbers vs. other teams to clinch playoff berth: New Jersey (2), Carolina (2)

Isles have clinched a better record than Toronto, Buffalo, Columbus, Montreal and Ottawa.

(Top 3 in each division, plus next two teams make the playoffs)

Wednesday's Game

Washington at Philadelphia

The Isles magic number to clinch a playoff spot will remain 7 after Wednesday's game.

Thursday's Game

Columbus at ISLES

NY Rangers at Carolina

Nashville at Pittsburgh

The Isles Magic Number to clinch a playoff spot will fall to:

•   5, if the Isles win 
•   6, if the Isles lose in overtime or a shootout