The Isles rebounded from a one-sided loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday with a one-sided win of their own, defeating Tampa Bay 5-2. The win cuts the Isles' magic number to two, meaning they can clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday.
Elsewhere the Rangers clinched a playoff spot with 4-2 win over Columbus. It's the sixth straight season that the Rangers have made the dance and the 10th time in the 11 years of the Henrik Lundqvist era.
(Through games on April 4)
(Through games on April 4)
Metropolitan Division Standings (Top 5)
xy Washington 55-17-6=116 points / 78 games (51 ROW) Idle
x Pittsburgh 46-25-8=100 points / 79 games (42 ROW) Idle
NY Rangers 44-26-9=97 points / 79 games (41 ROW) Beat Columbus 4-2
ISLES 43-26-9=95 points / 78 games (38 ROW) Beat Tampa Bay 5-2
Philadelphia 39-26-13=91 points/ 78 games (36 ROW) Idle
Atlantic Teams in Wild Card Race
Detroit 40-28-11=91 points/ 79 games (38 ROW) Idle
Boston 41-30-8=90 points/ 79 games (37 ROW) Idle
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)
Pittsburgh 106 points/ 45 ROW
NY Rangers 103 points/ 44 ROW
ISLES 103 points/ 42 ROW
Philadelphia 99 points/ 40 ROW
Detroit 97 points/41 ROW
Boston 96 points/40 ROW
Boston 96 points/40 ROW
Remaining Schedule:
- Washington: 4/5 vs. ISLES, 4/7 vs. Pittsburgh, 4/9 at St. Louis, 4/10 vs. Anaheim
- Pittsburgh: 4/5 @ Ottawa, 4/7 @ Washington, 4/9 @ Philadelphia
- NY Rangers: 4/5 vs. Tampa Bay, 4/7 vs. ISLES, 4/9 vs. Detroit
- ISLES: 4/5 @ Washington, 4/7 @ NY Rangers, 4/9 vs. Buffalo, 4/10 vs. Philadelphia
- Philadelphia: 4/6 at Detroit, 4/7 vs. Toronto, 4/9 vs Pittsburgh, 4/10 @ ISLES
- Detroit: 4/6 vs. Philadelphia, 4/7 at Boston, 4/9 @ NY Rangers
- Boston: 4/5 vs. Carolina, 4/7 vs. Detroit, 4/9 vs Ottawa
On Their Own
If the Isles go 1-3-0 they will clinch a playoff spot regardless of what everyone else does.
If the Isles win their last four, they will finish no lower than third regardless of what everyone else does.
Magic Number
The Isles' magic number is clinch a playoff berth is 2 over Boston, 3 over Detroit and 5 over Philadelphia. Any combination of Islander points gained and Bruins points lost totaling 2 will guarantee that the Isles finish ahead of Boston.
The Isles have clinched at least a 9th place finish in the East. The Isles also need to finish ahead of Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, the Rangers OR Pittsburgh in order to clinch a playoff berth.
(Top 3 in each division, plus next two teams make the playoffs)
Tuesday's Games
ISLES at Washington
Tampa Bay at NY Rangers
Tampa Bay at NY Rangers
Carolina at Boston
Pittsburgh at Ottawa
Tuesday -- if the Isles beat Washington
OR
the Isles get 1 points vs. Washington and Boston loses in any manner to Carolina
OR
Boston loses in regulation to Carolina
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