The Skinny on the Playoff Race

Updating for all of Saturday's results:

Saturday's Games

Rangers 3, Isles 2 (SO)

Philadelphia 1, New Jersey 0

Washington 4, Tampa Bay 2

Detroit 5, Toronto 4 (OT)

Boston 6, Pittsburgh 4

Playoff Chase 

3rd Metro Isles         90 points (27 RW) in 80 games  (MON at New Jersey, WED vs. Pittsburgh)

2nd WC  Washington  87 points (30 RW) in 80 games  (MON vs. Boston, TUE at Philadelphia)

3rd  WC  Detroit         87 points (27 RW) in 80 games  (MON vs. Montreal, TUE at Montreal)

4th  WC Philadelphia 87 points (30 RW) in 81 games  (TUE vs. Washington)

5th WC Pittsburgh     86 points (31 RW) in 80 games  (MON vs. Nashville, WED at Isles)

Maximum Points & Regulation Wins (two teams qualify)

• Isles 94/29

• Washington 91/32

• Detroit 91/29

• Pittsburgh 90/33

• Philadelphia 89/31

Magic Number Time

The Isles are guaranteed to finish ahead of Columbus, Montreal, Ottawa, New Jersey, Buffalo, and Philadelphia. They need to finish ahead of (at least) two of these teams to make playoffs (Magic number in parenthesis): Detroit (2), Washington (2), Pittsburgh (1). Thus, their magic number is two to clinch 3rd place in the Metro and is two to clinch a wild card. 

Sunday's Games

None

Monday's Games (all at 7pm)

Isles at New Jersey

Nashville at Pittsburgh

Boston at Washington

Montreal at Detroit 

The Isles will be third in the Metro after Monday's games regardless of any results.

Monday's Clinching Scenarios:

IF Isles win – Isles clinch 3rd in Metro

IF Isles lose in OT/SO AND Washington loses in any fashion – Isles clinch 3rd in Metro

IF Isles lose in OT/SO AND Washington wins AND Detroit loses in any fashion – Isles clinch 2nd WC

If Isles lose in regulation, they would still clinch a playoff spot if AT LEAST two of these things happen:

• Washington loses in regulation

• Detroit loses in regulation

• Pittsburgh loses in any fashion

 (If Washington loses in regulation and Pittsburgh loses in any fashion, Isles would clinch 3rd in Metro; otherwise the Isles would clinch 2nd wild card with this combination.)

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick