The race to the
post season as taken full stage. Check out how the Penguins’ rivals in the
Metropolitan division have fared over the last week.
NHL CURRENT
STANDINGS AND PLAYOFF PICTURE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
|
ATLANTIC
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
SOL
|
PTS
|
GF
|
GA
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
|
Tampa Bay
|
66
|
50
|
12
|
3
|
1
|
104
|
258
|
174
|
27-5-1-1
|
23-7-2-0
|
|
Boston
|
65
|
39
|
17
|
6
|
3
|
87
|
194
|
161
|
24-7-2-1
|
15-10-4-2
|
|
Toronto
|
65
|
40
|
21
|
4
|
0
|
84
|
233
|
186
|
21-12-1-0
|
19-9-3-0
|
|
Montreal
|
66
|
35
|
24
|
7
|
0
|
77
|
201
|
193
|
19-11-4-0
|
16-13-3-0
|
|
Buffalo
|
65
|
30
|
27
|
6
|
2
|
68
|
187
|
207
|
19-9-4-0
|
11-18-2-2
|
|
Florida
|
65
|
28
|
26
|
5
|
6
|
67
|
207
|
224
|
16-12-5-1
|
12-14-0-5
|
|
Detroit
|
65
|
23
|
33
|
4
|
5
|
55
|
179
|
223
|
12-17-2-3
|
11-16-2-2
|
|
Ottawa
|
66
|
23
|
38
|
5
|
0
|
51
|
195
|
246
|
14-15-4-0
|
9-23-1-0
|
|
METROPOLITAN
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
OTL
|
SOL
|
PTS
|
GF
|
GA
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
|
Washington
|
66
|
38
|
21
|
6
|
1
|
83
|
226
|
208
|
19-9-4-1
|
19-12-2-0
|
|
NY Islanders
|
65
|
37
|
21
|
2
|
5
|
81
|
187
|
157
|
19-10-1-3
|
18-11-1-2
|
|
Carolina
|
65
|
36
|
23
|
4
|
2
|
78
|
196
|
176
|
18-10-2-2
|
18-13-2-0
|
|
PITTSBURGH
|
65
|
34
|
22
|
7
|
2
|
77
|
226
|
202
|
17-12-2-0
|
17-10-5-2
|
|
Columbus
|
65
|
36
|
26
|
2
|
1
|
75
|
203
|
197
|
17-16-1-1
|
19-10-1-0
|
|
Philadelphia
|
66
|
32
|
26
|
7
|
1
|
72
|
201
|
219
|
17-12-3-1
|
15-14-4-0
|
|
NY Rangers
|
65
|
27
|
27
|
8
|
3
|
65
|
190
|
218
|
16-11-5-3
|
11-16-3-0
|
|
New Jersey
|
66
|
25
|
33
|
5
|
3
|
58
|
188
|
223
|
17-12-4-1
|
8-21-1-2
|
CURRENT PLAYOFF
PICTURE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
|
RANK
|
TEAM
|
POINTS
|
|
1
|
Tampa Bay
|
104
|
|
2
|
Washington
|
83
|
|
3
|
Boston
|
87
|
|
4
|
NY Islanders
|
81
|
|
5
|
Carolina
|
78
|
|
6
|
Toronto
|
84
|
|
7
|
PITTSBURGH
|
77
|
|
8
|
Montreal
|
77
|
|
^^ IN PLAYOFFS
^^
|
||
|
9
|
Columbus
|
75
|
|
10
|
Philadelphia
|
72
|
|
11
|
Buffalo
|
68
|
|
12
|
Florida
|
67
|
|
13
|
NY Rangers
|
65
|
|
14
|
New Jersey
|
58
|
|
15
|
Detroit
|
55
|
|
16
|
Ottawa
|
51
|
It’s officially March,
and the playoff implications are at stake every single night in the NHL. Last
week saw the NHL’s trade deadline, and now the focus is solely on the playoffs.
Pittsburgh started last week off in Columbus without Brian
Dumoulin and Kris Letang after the ugly Stadium Series game against the Flyers.
Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann each
scored in the 1st period and Evgeni Malkin would
score to make it 3-0 early in the 2nd before the Jackets would get on the board
and the Penguins held
on for a 5-2 victory on Tuesday night. The road trip continued in Buffalo on
Friday for the Penguins. The Penguins scored two 2nd period goals to lead 3-2
going into the 3rd, but Brandon
Montour would score with 2:30 remaining to tie the game and
force overtime. The complete collapse came four minutes into overtime when
former Penguin Conor Sheary would beat Matt Murray from
long range with a wrist shot, Sheary’s second goal of the game and third point
of the evening. The Penguins were in Montreal 24 hours later and Mike Sullivan
took a gamble and put Matt Murray back
in net for the second game of a back-to-back on the road. Matt Murray stood
tall and the Penguins scored three quick goals in a 5-1 rout in Montreal.
The Montreal game was a much needed victory and effort for
the Penguins. The Penguins may not have looked pretty in some of the games, but
the Pens are 6-2-2 in the last 10 games and keeping up with the surging Hurricanes and Capitals -
now tied for 1st in the Metro. Despite the Penguins struggles this season, and
all the doom and gloom after each loss, the Penguins are only four points out
of 1st place in the Metropolitan.
It was a high and low week for the Islanders.
The Islanders had returned home from a swing through western Canada last week
and also began a home stand against a western Canadian team when Calgary was at
Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday night. It was the second meeting between the two
teams in a week, and the Flames came
away with another victory in a 3-1 win for the Flames in Long Island. The
Islanders and their fans were likely looking ahead to their next matchup.
Former captain, and now mortal enemy to Islanders
fans, John Tavares returned
for the first time to Long Island as an opponent with the Toronto Maple
Leafs. It was one of the most hostile environments I’ve ever
seen at an NHL game, and the fans had plenty of ammunition to make noise as the
Islanders wiped the floor with the Maple Leafs and defeated them 6-1 in a game
that will forever be remembered in Islander history.
The high didn’t last very long, however, as the Capitals
were in town the very next night. It was a very tightly contested game and the
Islanders led 1-0 for most of the game before the Capitals scored two quick
goals early in the 3rd period and TJ Oshie would add an empty netter (the easiest goal he’s
ever scored) to finish off the Islanders.
The Capitals won all three of their games last week and
again are tied for 1st in the Metropolitan after winning their game against the
Islanders. The Capitals began last week with a Sunday matinee against the Rangers in
DC. The Rangers scored three 3rd period goals, with the tying goal coming in
the final 30 seconds, to force overtime before Evgeny
Kuznetsov would score in the last minute of overtime to win
the game 6-5 for the Capitals. The Capitals played the depleted Ottawa
Senators the day after the trade deadline and had their way
with them in a 7-2 blowout that actually saw the Senators scoring the first two
goals before the Capitals scored the next seven. The Capitals made it a perfect
week for them on Friday when they outscored the Islanders in the 3rd period to
equal them in points on the season.
The Hurricanes keep ‘storming’ through the league and have
now ‘blown’ the doors off the Metropolitan. The Hurricanes went undefeated last
week and have now won five straight and 8 out of 10. The Hurricanes now find
themselves three points out of the Metropolitan and are one of the hottest
teams in the NHL. What a bunch of jerks.
It was a slow start to last week for the Canes after returning
home from a short road trip. The Hurricanes hosted the L.A. Kings on
Tuesday featuring two teams headed in different directions, and it showed on
the scoreboard. The Canes were leading 6-0 after the 2nd period before playing
defense and defeated the Kings 6-1. The Blues were
next for the Canes, and the Blues have also been trending up for several weeks
in the Central Division. Carolina paid them no mind and Sebastian Aho’s
short-handed goal in 2nd period to give the Canes a 3-2 lead would be all the
Canes need as the Canes would win this game 5-2. Carolina was in Sunrise the
next night, and would need overtime to decide the winner against the Panthers. Sebastian Aho scored
1:46 into overtime to secure the win for the Hurricanes, their fifth victory in
a row.
It seemed like Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen was playing real
life NHL 19 the last few weeks and was trading for every player available,
throwing out all the prospects and draft picks he could get his hands on. Those
players are coming from many different teams in different situations and will
need time to get acquainted with the Blue Jackets.
The Jackets haven’t been getting the immediate returns they were hoping for and
lost two out of three games last week.
The Blue Jackets were coming off back-to-back shutout
victories and had just added seemingly every player on the market before hosting
the Penguins in Columbus on Tuesday. The Penguins have been the Jackets
kryptonite, and the latest game between the two was the same old story. The
game was action packed, but the Penguins came away with the 5-2 victory. The
Jackets faced the other Pennsylvania team two nights later in Columbus, and the
result would be different for Columbus. The game would need overtime and Seth Jones would
rocket home his eighth goal of the season with 30 seconds left in overtime to
seal the deal for the Jackets by a 4-3 final score over the Flyers. The week
ended on a sour note for the Jackets when Connor
McDavid and his crew came in to Columbus and shut the door
on the Jackets in a 4-0 beat down, keeping the Jackets two points out of the
final Wild Card position.
The Flyers finally put an end the Wayne
Simmonds chapter in their storybook, with his last game
coming at the expense of Brian
Dumoulin and Kris Letang,
so you know Flyers fans are okay with the way things ended. The Flyers had a
good week, and also set an NHL record when Cam Talbot became
the 8th Flyers goalie to play in the NHL this season. The Flyers hosted
the Sabres on
Tuesday and made quick work of them before finishing them off by a 5-2 final.
The Flyers were in Columbus two nights later and forced overtime but could not
come away with the win over the Jackets. The Flyers took on the Devils in
Newark on Friday, and easily took care of the Devils to the tune of a 6-3
score.
The Flyers will have a tough week this week, with two road
games against the Islanders sandwiched around a home game against the Capitals
on Wednesday. Penguin fans have some ill feelings towards the Flyers, but will
be rooting for them this week.
The Rangers finished trading away all their spare parts and
would lose all their games last week. There’s not a lot for the Rangers to play
for, but they certainly aren’t letting their opponents off easy. The Rangers
will host the Capitals this afternoon at home before playing seven out of their
next nine games on the road including a trip to western Canada. The Rangers are
likely to have an even bigger drop-off in standings during this stretch.
It was another losing week for the Devils, and news broke
that Taylor Hall had knee
surgery and officially ended his season although he hasn’t
played since the end of December. Not a lot of good news coming from New
Jersey, as this off-season will likely be a more exciting time for the Devils.
At least Cory Schneider is
winning games again.
The schedule the rest of the way is obviously very important
in deciding which teams will make or miss the playoffs. Below I’ll list the
road for each team in the final 17-18 games for each Wild Card hopeful team in
the Metro. It’ll be broken down into home game and road games and also by teams
in the playoffs and teams outside of the playoffs as of today.
PENGUINS has 17
games remaining - 10 home; 7 road
HOME GAMES:
VS PLAYOFF TEAMS: CBJ 3/7, BOS 3/10, WSH 3/12, STL 3/16, NSH 3/29, CAR 3/31
VS NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: FLA 3/5, PHI
3/17, DET 4/4, NYR 4/6
ROAD GAMES:
AT PLAYOFF TEAMS: CBJ 3/9, CAR 3/19, NSH 3/21
AT NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: BUF 3/14, DAL
3/23, NYR 3/25, DET 4/2
ISLANDERS has 18
games remaining - 9 home, 9 away
HOME GAMES:
VS PLAYOFF TEAMS: CBJ 3/11, MTL
3/14, BOS 3/19, TOR 4/1
VS NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: PHI 3/3, OTT
3/5, PHI 3/9, ARI 3/24, BUF 3/30
ROAD GAMES:
AT PLAYOFF TEAMS: MIN 3/17, MTL
3/21, CBJ 3/26, WPG 3/28, WSH 4/6
AT NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: OTT 3/7, DET
3/16, PHI 3/23. FLA 4/4
CAPITALS has 17
games remaining - 8 home, 9 away
HOME GAMES:
VS PLAYOFF TEAMS: WPG 3/10, TBL
3/20, MIN 3/22, CAR 3/26, MTL 4/4, NYI 4/6
VS NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: NJD 3/8, PHI
3/24,
ROAD GAMES:
AT PLAYOFF TEAMS: PIT 3/12, TBL
3/16, CAR 3/28, TBL 3/30, FLA 4/1
AT NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: NYR 3/3, PHI
3/6, PHI 3/14. NJD 3/19
CAROLINA has 17
games remaining - 9 home, 8 away
HOME GAMES:
VS PLAYOFF TEAMS: WPG 3/8, PIT 3/19,
TBL 3/21, MIN 3/23, MTL 3/24, WSH 3/28
VS NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: BUF 3/16, PHI
3/30, NJD 4/4
ROAD GAMES:
AT PLAYOFF TEAMS: BOS 3/5, NSH 3/9,
COL 3/11, CBJ 3/15, WSH 3/26, PIT 3/31, TOR 4/2
AT NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: PHI 4/6
COLUMBUS has 17
games remaining - 6 home, 11 road
HOME GAMES:
VS PLAYOFF TEAMS: PIT 3/9, BOS 3/12,
CAR 3/15, NYI 3/26, MTL 3/28, BOS 4/2
ROAD GAMES:
AT PLAYOFF TEAMS: PIT 3/7, NYI 3/11,
BOS 3/16, CGY 3/19, NSH 3/30
AT NON-PLAYOFF TEAMS: NJD 3/5, EDM
3/21, VAN 3/24, BUF 3/31, NYR 4/5, OTT 4/6
(4) PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
RECORD: 34-22-9; 77 pts;
GF: 226 (5th in the NHL; 5th last
week);
GA: 202 (T-16th; 20th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK2-0-1
2/26/19
PIT: 5
CBJ: 2
GRIT and
HEART. Shorthanded Pens pull out CLUTCH win
3/1/19
PIT: 3
BUF: 4 OT
Pittsburgh squanders
another late lead, falls in overtime
3/2/19
PIT: 5
MTL: 1
Crosby and
Guentzel each net four points in big Pittsburgh win
WEEK AHEAD:
TUESDAY, MARCH 5
- vs FLA, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 7
- vs CBJ, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- @ CBJ, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 2/11/19,
D Olli
Maatta - IR; Upper-body injury
- 2/23/19,
D Kris
Letang - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
- 2/23/19,
D Brian
Dumoulin - Day-to-day; Concussion
- 2/25/19,
D Chad
Ruhwedel - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
- 2/25/19,
RW Bryan
Rust - Day-to-day; Lower-body injury
(1) NEW YORK
ISLANDERS
RECORD: 37-20-7, 81 pts;
GF: 186 (23rd; T-21st);
GA: 153 (1st)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 1-2
2/26/19
CGY: 1
NYI: 3
New York
outmatched by Calgary again
2/28/19
TOR: 1
NYI: 6
“We Don’t
Need You!”
3/1/19
WSH: 3
NYI: 1
Out of gas
and ideas
WEEK AHEAD:
SUNDAY, MARCH 3 -
vs PHI, 3 p.m.
TUESDAY, MARCH 5 -
vs OTT, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 7
- @ OTT, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- vs PHI, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 2/28/19,
LW Matt
Martin - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
(2) WASHINGTON CAPITALS
RECORD: 37-21-7, 81 pts;
GF: 223 (6th; 8th);
GA: 206 (T-20th; 23rd)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 3-0
2/24/19
NYR: 5
WSH: 6 OT
Evgeny
Kuznetsov Strikes in OT to Drop Rangers, 6-5
3/26/19
OTT: 2
WSH: 7
Seven
Straight Goals Give Washington Win
3/1/19
WSH: 3
NYI: 1
Ovechkin’s
45th Goal Lifts the Capitals Past the Islanders, 3-1
WEEK AHEAD:
SUNDAY, MARCH 3 -
@ NYR, 12:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 6
- @ PHI, 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8 -
vs NJD, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- None
(3) CAROLINA
HURRICANES
RECORD: 36-23-6, 78 pts;
GF: 196 (16th; T-19th);
GA: 176 (5th; T-6th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 3-0
2/26/19
LAK: 1
CAR: 6
Canes
dominate Kings in 6-1 win
3/1/19
STL: 2
CAR: 5
Hurricanes
knock out Blues
3/2/19
CAR: 4 OT
FLA: 3
Hurricanes
comeback for unbelievable overtime win in Florida
WEEK AHEAD:
TUESDAY, MARCH 5 -
@ BOS, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8 -
vs WPG, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- @ NSH, 8 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 2/26/19,
D Calvin de Daan - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
(5) COLUMBUS BLUE
JACKETS
RECORD: 36-25-3, 75 pts;
GF: 201 (T-11th; 11th);
GA: 192 (14th; 11th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 1-2
2/26/19
PIT: 5
CBJ: 2
Ryan Dzingel
Makes Blue Jackets Debut in Pivotal Matchup vs Penguins
2/28/19
PHI: 3
CBJ: 4 OT
Seth Jones,
Blue Jackets Bury Flyers in Overtime, 4-3
3/2/19
EDM: 4
CBJ: 0
Oilers Blank
Blue Jackets, 4-0
WEEK AHEAD:
SUNDAY, MARCH 3 -
vs WPG, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY, MARCH 5 -
@ NJD, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 7
- @ PIT, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- vs PIT, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 2/17/19,
D Ryan
Murray - IR; Upper-body injury
(6) PHILADELPHIA
FLYERS
RECORD: 31-26-8, 70 pts;
GF: 197 (15th; 17th);
GA: 218 (26th; 28th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 2-0-1
2/26/19
BUF: 2
PHI: 5
Ryan Hartman
really wants you to like him
2/28/19
PHI: 3
CBJ: 4 OT
Blue Jackets
down Flyers in overtime yet again, this one 4-3
3/1/19
PHI: 6
NJD: 3
Getting mad
On Ice
WEEK AHEAD:
SUNDAY, MARCH 3 -
@ NYI, 3 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
- vs WSH, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- @ NYI, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 1/3/19,
G Michal
Neuvirth - IR; Lower-body injury
- 2/22/19,
G Carter
Hart - Day-to-day; Lower-body injury
(7) NEW YORK
RANGERS
RECORD: 27-27-10, 64 pts;
GF: 188 (T-19th; T-21st);
GA: 215 (25th; 24th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK 0-1-2
2/24/19
NYR: 5
WSH: 6 OT
Rangers
Battle Back But Fall to Washington 6-5 in Overtime
2/27/19
TBL: 4 OT
NYR: 3
Rangers Fight
Back But Fall to Lightning in Overtime
2/1/19
MTL: 4
NYR: 2
Montreal
Scores Three Unanswered to Top Rangers at MSG
WEEK AHEAD:
SUNDAY, MARCH 3 -
vs WSH, 12:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, MARCH 5 -
@ DAL, 8:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 7
- @ DET, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- vs NJD, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 1/29/19,
C Brett
Howden - IR; Sprained MCL
(8) NEW JERSEY
DEVILS
RECORD: 25-33-8, 58 pts;
GF: 188 (18th; T-21st);
GA: 223 (29th)
RECORD
FROM LAST WEEK: 1-3
2/25/19
MTL: 1
NJD: 2
Close, Ugly
& Proud: New Jersey Devils Swept Montreal Canadiens with 2-1 Win
2/27/19
CGY: 2
NJD: 1
Injury-Riddled
New Jersey Devils Only Lost Closely to a Hot Calgary Flames Squad
3/1/19
PHI: 6
NJD: 3
Tempers
Flared as New Jersey Devils Were Burned by the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-6
3/2/19
NJD: 0
BOS: 1
New Jersey
Devils Edged by Boston Bruins in a Goaltender’s Duel
WEEK AHEAD:
TUESDAY, MARCH 5 -
vs CBJ, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8 -
@ WSH, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
- @ NYR, 7 p.m.
INJURIES:
- 12/26/18,
LW Taylor
Hall - IR; Lower-body injury
- 1/13/19,
RW Stefan
Noesen - IR; Lower-body injury
- 2/16/19,
C Pavel
Zacha - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
- 2/24/19,
LW Miles
Wood - Day-to-day; Fractured ankle
- 2/25/19,
LW John
Quenneville - Day-to-day; Upper-body injury
- 2/26/19,
D Mirco
Mueller - Day-to-day; Shoulder
- 2/26/19,
RW Kyle
Palmieri - Day-to-day; Lower-body injury
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