GOLDEN KNIGHTS TAKE GAME TO NEXT LEVEL
1. TAMPA BAY
LIGHTNING (55-13-4)
The Lightning have
won six of their last seven games and potted at least five goals in five of
those contests. Nikita
Kucherov also added to his historic campaign by picking up his
eighth four-point night of the season in a comeback victory over the Red Wings. The Bolts just
need two more points to clinch the Presidents' Trophy.
Previously: 1st
2. SAN JOSE SHARKS
(43-21-8) ▲
The Sharks began
March with six consecutive wins before losing two straight on home ice.
Goaltender Martin Jones has
posted his best month of the season with a .917 save percentage and a 2.28
goals-against average, while the offense continues to hum with 35 goals over
the past 10 games.
Previously: 5th
3. CALGARY FLAMES
(44-21-7)
The Flames responded
to their recent four-game slide with a three-game winning streak that saw them
explode for 20 goals. Johnny
Gaudreau's incredible
six-point effort (3G, 3A) against the Devils stands as the
best statistical game by any player this season.
Previously: 3rd
4. WASHINGTON
CAPITALS (42-23-7) ▲
The defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals are playing
their best hockey at the right time with eight wins in their last 10
games. Alex Ovechkin is
just two goals shy of hitting 50 for the eighth time in his career, which would
move him one shy of tying Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the all-time record
of nine.
Previously: 6th
5. BOSTON BRUINS
(43-20-9) ▼
The Bruins predictably
fell back down to earth after snapping their 19-game point streak, losing three
straight. Overall, roster depth has played a pivotal role in Boston staying
afloat while five key players are out with injuries, and sniper David Pastrnak's return to
practice Saturday is a nightmare for the rest of the league.
Previously: 2nd
6. TORONTO MAPLE
LEAFS (43-24-5) ▼
The Maple Leafs have
seen their defensive depth exposed following injuries to Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott, and the
team's tendency to float through first periods has resulted in chasing games.
Toronto's allowed 23 goals over its last four contests, with three of those
duds coming against teams currently outside the playoff picture.
Previously: 4th
7. VEGAS GOLDEN
KNIGHTS (40-27-5) ▲
The addition of Mark Stone has taken
an already dangerous Golden
Knights team to the next level. Vegas has posted an 8-1 record
since the trade deadline and has allowed just 13 goals over its last seven
contests. Marc-Andre
Fleury's been sensational in the month of March, going 5-0-0 with a
.975 save percentage.
Previously: 11th
8. CAROLINA
HURRICANES (39-25-7)
The Hurricanes keep
inching closer to ending the NHL's longest playoff drought. They're 7-2-1 in
their last ten contests, haven't lost consecutive games in regulation since
Jan. 18, and hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Previously: 8th
9. PITTSBURGH
PENGUINS (39-24-10) ▲
With spring fast approaching, it's officially Sidney Crosby season.
The longtime Penguinscaptain
is on a tear with eight goals and 19 points over his last 12 games. However,
Pittsburgh endured a rough weekend, getting run over by the Blues on Saturday,
blowing a lead and falling to the Flyers in overtime
Sunday, and then losing Evgeni Malkin to
a week-to-week injury.
Previously: 10th
10. WINNIPEG JETS
(42-25-4) ▼
After going 5-3 during a tough eight-game stretch against
current playoff teams, the Jets are
battle-tested ahead of the postseason. Blake Wheeler continues
to lead by example with seven goals over his last seven games, while Patrik Laine is
showing signs of life at the right time.
Previously: 9th
11. NEW YORK
ISLANDERS (42-23-7) ▼
The Islanders have
struggled to find the net lately, mustering two goals or fewer in seven of
their last 11 contests. Robin Lehner's
potential return to the crease this week is a promising development,
although Thomas Greiss has
done an excellent job in his absence. New York's final 10 games won't
be easy, with six coming on the road and eight against potential playoff teams.
Previously: 7th
12. ARIZONA
COYOTES (36-30-6) ▲
The Coyotes have
seven wins in their last ten games, and it's been a complete team effort by
Rick Tocchet's squad. No player on the roster's even hit the 20-goal mark this
season, and only Clayton
Keller has broken 40 points.
Previously: 17th
13. NASHVILLE
PREDATORS (41-27-5) ▼
The Predators have
traded wins and losses since the All-Star break, failing to put together a
winning streak longer than two games. But with five of their next six contests
coming against current playoff teams, the Preds have an excellent chance to up
their game and build some momentum for the postseason.
Previously: 12th
14. DALLAS STARS
(37-29-6) ▲
The Stars have
won five of their last eight contests, largely thanks to Ben Bishop's outstanding
work between the pipes. Before departing with an injury last week against
the Wild,
Bishop had pushed his ongoing shutout streak to a franchise-record 230 minutes,
53 seconds.
Previously: 19th
15. COLUMBUS BLUE
JACKETS (40-28-4) ▲
Matt Duchene's
scored two goals in his last three games for the Blue Jackets, who've
earned points in four of their past five. Columbus also has the inside track
for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, but seven of the club's final
10 games will be on the road.
Previously: 18th
16. ST. LOUIS
BLUES (37-27-8) ▼
The Blues have
dropped four of five contests, including matchups against the Senators, Sabres, and Coyotes. Those
defeats could come back to haunt them as they try to maintain their grip on a
postseason position.
Previously: 13th
17. PHILADELPHIA
FLYERS (35-29-8) ▼
The Flyers remain
alive in the playoff race, and getting rookie goaltender Carter Hartback from
injury should help, but it will still be a tall task to punch a postseason
ticket. Philadelphia sits six points out with just 10 games left.
18. MONTREAL
CANADIENS (37-28-7) ▼
Things are not going well in Montreal right now. Andrew Shaw called
out teammates on
Thursday night, and the Canadiens have
now dropped four of their last five.
Previously: 15th
19. FLORIDA
PANTHERS (32-28-12) ▲
The Panthers saw
their four-game winning streak snapped Sunday, but rookie goalie Sam Montembeault has
shown something in his first six NHL appearances. Another hot streak would help
Florida's playoff chances, but this team might be running out of time.
Previously: 21st
20. MINNESOTA WILD
(34-30-9) ▼
Minnesota's still hanging around in the Western Conference
wild-card race, but with the Coyotes and Blackhawks coming on
strong, and the Avalanche not
going away, the pressure's squarely on the Wild to keep up. Losing four of
their past five games didn't help.
Previously: 14th
21. CHICAGO
BLACKHAWKS (32-30-9) ▲
Corey Crawford's stellar play has helped Chicago reel off
five straight wins, and the veteran goaltender has allowed only three goals
combined over his last four appearances. Here come the Hawks,
indeed.
Previously: 23rd
22. EDMONTON
OILERS (32-33-7) ▲
Connor
McDavid's heroics lifted the Oilers to a big win
over the Coyotes on Saturday night, but Edmonton couldn't keep up with the
Golden Knights on Sunday. The Oilers' season isn't over, but they'll need quite
a run over the final 10 games to have any shot at the postseason.
Previously: 24th
23. COLORADO
AVALANCHE (31-29-12) ▼
Head coach Jared Bednar publicly roasted his Avalanche after a
crushing loss to the lowly Ducks on
Friday, and they responded with a much-needed victory over the Devils on Sunday.
However, Colorado still has work to do.
Previously: 20th
24. BUFFALO SABRES
(31-32-9) ▼
The Sabres snapped a seven-game losing streak with a
shootout win Sunday, but they failed to score a single goal in three
consecutive contests during the skid and have been in a downward spiral for
months.
Previously: 22nd
25. VANCOUVER
CANUCKS (30-32-10) ▲
Elias
Pettersson and Jacob Markstrom have provided
Canucks fans with some optimism of late, but it's of the long-term variety.
Vancouver remains near the basement of the Western Conference and would need to
leapfrog several teams to make the playoffs.
Previously: 26th
26. ANAHEIM DUCKS
(30-35-9) ▲
The Ducks are on a 6-3-0 run and have gone 9-9-0 since
general manager Bob Murray fired head coach Randy Carlyle and took over behind
the bench. Anaheim probably isn't playoff bound, but there have been positive
signs down the stretch.
Previously: 30th
27. NEW YORK
RANGERS (28-31-13) ▼
Pavel
Buchnevich has shown promise with five goals in his last eight
games, while four of them have come at even strength. Beyond that, though,
the Rangers have
just one win in their last 10 contests and are essentially playing out the
string.
Previously: 25th
28. NEW JERSEY
DEVILS (27-37-9) ▼
With the Devils sitting in the basement of the Metropolitan
Division and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, it's somewhat
surprising that they haven't ruled out a return for Taylor Hall before
season's end. On the other hand, fans in New Jersey could use a reason to tune
in.
Previously: 27th
29. LOS ANGELES
KINGS (25-38-8) ▼
The Kings entered
Sunday's action with the worst goal differential in the NHL, and they've won
only two of their last 10 games. There's not much hockey to be excited about in
Southern California these days.
Previously: 28th
30. OTTAWA
SENATORS (25-41-6) ▲
Sometimes, a squad without anything on the line plays looser
than a contender, and that was evident in Ottawa's win over Toronto on Saturday.
However, the victory was only a small consolation for the NHL's worst team.
Previously: 31st
31. DETROIT RED
WINGS (25-37-10) ▼
Red Wings fans don't have much incentive to watch their
team's final 10 games, especially now that top prospect Filip Zadina has been
sent back to Grand Rapids. At least they can look forward to the draft lottery.
Previously: 29th
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