The Skinny on the Wild Card Race (thru games of March 28, 2023)

Tuesday's results:  Pittsburgh 4 at Detroit 7

                                Montreal 2 at Philadelphia 3

The Wild Card Race

1. Isles 85 points (33 regulation wins) in 75 games (Wednesday at Washington, Saturday at Tampa Bay)

2. Pittsburgh 82 points (27 RWs) in 74 games (Thursday vs. Nashville)

3. Florida 79 points (31 RWs) in 74 games (Wednesday at Toronto)

4. Buffalo 77 points (27 RWs) in 73 games (Friday vs. NY Rangers)

5. Ottawa 77 points (29 RWs) in 74 games (Thursday vs. Philadelphia)

6. Washington 76 points (26 RWs) in 74 games (Wednesday vs Isles, Thursday at Tampa Bay)

Isn't it Magic?

Pittsburgh can reach 98 points if they win their last eight games while Florida can reach 95 if they win their final eight games and Buffalo can do so if they win their final nine.  That makes the Isles' Magic number 11 over Florida and Buffalo and 14 over Pittsburgh. (The Isles can reach 99 so Pittsburgh’s Magic number to finish in the first Wild Card is 18, meaning the Isles once again control their own destiny for the top wild card.)

Islander clinching numbers vs. other East Conference teams:  PHL (4), DET (7), WAS (8), OTT (9), BUF (11).

The Isles have clinched at least 14th place in the East, as CBJ and MTL cannot catch the Isles  They will clinch a playoff spot by guaranteeing a finish above eight other Eastern Conference teams, and they will clinch the top wild card if they guarantee themselves a finish above nine other teams.

Wednesday's Impact

The Isles visit Washington on Wednesday night; if the Isles will in Regulation or in Overtime, they will be assured of the tie-breaker with Washington.  It would lower their magic number vs. Washington to 3 (regulation win) or 4 (overtime win).

An Islander win would lower their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to 9; an overtime or shootout loss would lower the number to 10.  Florida is the only other team in the playoff race in action on Wednesday, but if Florida does not beat Toronto, their magic number would be lower than idle Buffalo's, so it can't go lower than nine on Wednesday.