The Skinny on the Playoff Race

Sunday's Games

Detroit 3, Buffalo 1

Ottawa 3, Washington 2 (OT)

Nashville 3, New Jersey 2 (SO)

Playoff Chase

Metro Division

3rd  Isles   85 points (26 RW) in 77 games  (TUE vs. Rangers, THU vs. Montreal)

4th  Pittsburgh      83 points (31 RW) in 77 games  (MON at Toronto, THU vs. Detroit)

5th  Washington   83 points (28 RW) in 77 games  (TUE at Detroit, THU at Buffalo)

6th  Philadelphia  83 points (28 RW) in 78 games  (TUE at Montreal, THU at Rangers)

Wild Card

X 1st WC Tampa Bay    93 points (35 RW) in 77 games  (TUE vs. Columbus, THU vs. Ottawa)

2nd WC   Detroit          84 points (27 RW) in 77 games  (TUE vs. Washington, THU at Pittsburgh)

3rd         Pittsburgh     83 points (31 RW) in 77 games  (MON at Toronto, THU vs. Detroit)

4th         Washington   83 points (28 RW) in 77 games  (TUE at Detroit, THU at Buffalo)

5th         Philadelphia  83 points (28 RW) in 78 games  (TUE at Montreal, THU at Rangers)

6th         New Jersey   79 points (32 RW) in 78 games  (TUE vs. Toronto, THU at Toronto)

7th         Buffalo         79 points (31 RW) in 78 games  (TUE at Dallas, THU vs. Washington)

X Clinched Playoff Spot

Maximum Points & Regulation Wins (two teams qualify)

• Isles 95/31

• Detroit 94/32

• Washington 93/33

• Pittsburgh 93/36

• Philadelphia 91/32

• New Jersey 87/36

• Buffalo 87/35

Magic Number Time

The Isles are guaranteed to finish ahead of Columbus, Montreal, and Ottawa. They need to finish ahead of (at least) five of these teams to make playoffs (Magic number in parenthesis):

New Jersey and Buffalo (3), Philadelphia (7), Pittsburgh and Washington (9), Detroit (10). Thus, their magic number is nine to clinch 3rd place in the Metro and is ten to clinch a wild card.   

Monday's Game

Pittsburgh at Toronto – Pittsburgh will re-take 2nd Wild Card with a win, will remain 3rd in Wild Card race with an OT/SO loss and will fall into 4th place in the Wild Card race with a regulation loss.

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