WESTERN CONFERENCE
Flames clinch, trying to hold off Sharks for first; Coyotes,
Wild one point apart for second wild card
There are three
weeks remaining in the NHL regular season, and the race for the Stanley Cup
Playoffs in the Western Conference remains wide open. The Arizona Coyotes
continue to overcome a rash of injuries to contend for a wild card spot into
the playoffs, while one point separates the Calgary Flames , who have clinched
a berth, and San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division.
Here is where the Western Conference playoff picture
stands today:
CALGARY FLAMES
(44-21-7)
Where they stand: 95 points; first in Pacific
Division
Games remaining: 10 (six home; four road)
Key games: March 26 at Winnipeg Jets; March 31
at San Jose Sharks
If playoffs started today: Would play the
Arizona Coyotes in first round
Need to know: The Flames became the first team in
the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot when the Minnesota Wild lost on
Sunday.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
(43-22-8)
Where they stand: 94 points; second in Pacific
Division
Games remaining: nine (five home; four road)
Key games: March 31 vs. Calgary Flames
If playoffs started today: Would play the Vegas
Golden Knights in first round
Need to know: The Sharks are third in the NHL in
scoring, averaging 3.48 goals per game.
VEGAS GOLDEN
KNIGHTS (41-27-5)
Where they stand: 87 points; third in Pacific
Division
Games remaining: nine (five home, four
road)
Key games: April 4 vs. Arizona Coyotes
If playoffs started today: Would play the Sharks
in first round
Need to know: Goalie Marc-Andre
Fleury leads the NHL with 58 games started, 35 victories and
eight shutouts
WINNIPEG JETS
(43-25-4)
Where they stand: 90 points; first in Central
Division
Games remaining: 10 (four home, six road)
Key games: March 23 vs. Nashville
Predators
If playoffs started today: Would play the Dallas
Stars in first round
Need to know: The Jets are 19-16-0 away from
Bell MTS Place. They have allowed 108 goals on the road this year and scored
105.
NASHVILLE
PREDATORS (41-27-5)
Where they stand: 87 points; second in Central Division
Games remaining: Nine (five home, four road)
Key games: March 23 at Jets; April 6 vs. Chicago
Blackhawks
If playoffs started today: Would play the St.
Louis Blues in first round
Need to know: The Predators are ranked 30th in
the NHL with a power play percentage of 13.0.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
(37-27-8)
Where they stand: 82 points; third in Central
Division
Games remaining: 10 (seven home, three road)
Key games: April 1 vs. Colorado Avalanche;
April 3 at Chicago Blackhawks
If playoffs started today: Would play the
Predators in first round
Need to know: Since the calendar turned to 2019,
the Blues are 22-9-4, the best record in the West.
DALLAS STARS
(37-29-6)
Where they stand: 80 points; first
wild card from Western Conference
Games remaining: 10 (five home; five road)
Key games: March 25 at Jets; April 6 vs.
Wild
If playoffs started today: Would play Jets in
first round
Need to know: The Stars have allowed the
second-fewest goals in the League (177) and scored the third-fewest (181).
ARIZONA COYOTES
(36-31-6)
Where they stand: 78 points; second wild card
from Western Conference
Games remaining: nine (four home; five road)
Key games: March 29 at Colorado Avalanche; March
31 vs. Wild
If playoffs started today: Would play Flames in
first round
Need to know: Their total of 27 points (13-4-1)
since Feb. 9 is tied with Blues for most in Western Conference in that time
frame.
MINNESOTA WILD
(34-30-9)
Where they stand: 77 points; one point out of
second wild card
Games remaining: nine (four home; five road)
Key games: March 19 vs. Colorado Avalanche;
April 6 at Stars
If playoffs started today: Would not
qualify
Need to know: The Wild are 19-15-2 on the road
this season compared to 15-15-7 at home.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
(31-29-12)
Where they stand: 74 points; four points out of
second wild card
Games remaining: 10 (five home, five road)
Key games: March 19 at Wild; April 1 at Blues
If playoffs started today: Would not
qualify
Need to know: Avalanche captain Gabriel
Landeskog is out 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. He has an
NHL career-high 33 goals and 69 points this season.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
(32-30-10)
Where they stand: 74 points; four points out of
second wild card
Games remaining: 10 (five home; five road)
Key games: March 24 vs. Avalanche; April 3 vs.
Blues
If playoffs started today: Would not qualify
Need to know: The Blackhawks have allowed 262
goals, tied with the Ottawa Senators for most in the NHL.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
(31-32-10)
Where they stand: 72 points; six points out of
second wild card
Games remaining: nine (seven home; two road)
Key games: March 30 vs. Stars
If playoffs started today: Would not qualify
Need to know: With an assist Monday against the
Blackhawks, forward Elias
Pettersson set the Canucks record for points by a rookie with
61 (27 goals, 34 assists).
EDMONTON OILERS
(32-33-7)
Where they stand: 71 points; seven points out of
second wild card
Games remaining: 10 (six home; four road)
Key games: March 28 vs. Stars; April 6 at Flames
If playoffs started today: Would not qualify
Need to know: The Oilers play two games the rest
of the season against teams from the Eastern Conference. Edmonton is 12-14-3
against the East this season.
ANAHEIM DUCKS
(30-35-9)
Where they stand: 69 points; nine points out of
second wild card
Games remaining: eight (four home; four road)
Key game: March 26 at Canucks
If playoffs started today: Would not
qualify
Need to know: The Ducks average 27.7 shots on
goal per game, fewest in the NHL.
The Los Angeles Kings have been eliminated from playoff
contention in the Western Conference.
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