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NHL Playoff Death Watch: Flyers, Wild ease into wild cards

Greg Wyshynski
Death Watch

Since we're down to the final moments of postseason life for teams in contention, Puck Daddy solemnly begins a daily countdown to annihilation.

Sometimes reading the NHL standings is like reading the box score without having watched the game: The numbers can be deceiving.

Right now, the Philadelphia Flyers are in the last wild card spot. They have 83 points, just like the Detroit Red Wings, but have a game in-hand on them, so they technically own it right now.

But that, of course, doesn’t spotlight the critical point left on the table last night as the Flyers blew a two-goal lead with 1:04 to play against a moribund Columbus Blue Jackets team, eventually losing in a shootout. That regulation win would have put them up by a point over the Wings, and just as importantly would have matched both them and the New York Islanders with 34 regulation or overtime wins.

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Here are the current standings. The Death Watch tracks the final Wild Card spot and the teams that are chasing it. Their “tragic number” is the number of points gained by the final wild card team or lost by the team chasing it.

All playoff percentages are from Sports Club Stats; tragic numbers and other figures via the NHL. A team is eliminated from play-offs when their "Tragic Number" hits 0.

The Eastern Conference picture, via the NHL:

NHL
NHL

The Tampa Bay Lightning's win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night not only opened the door for the Flyers a bit wider, but knotted the Bolts up with the Florida Panthers with 89 points. Tampa, however, has a robust advantage in ROW wins. These two teams play on Saturday night.

In an alternate universe, Carolina doesn’t lose five in a row and actually takes advantage of the flailing wild card teams in the East. Oh well.

The New York Rangers host the Boston Bruins on RIVALRY NIGHT, seeking to distance themselves from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boston, meanwhile, could make things very interesting in the Atlantic with wins in their next two games.

Here are the latest Eastern Conference playoff odds from Sports Club Stats:

NHL
NHL

*Wild Card Teams

With wins last night, the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets staved off elimination, with “Tragic Numbers” at three.

Meanwhile, in the West:

NHL
NHL

Big win for the Minnesota Wild last night on the strength of Devan Dubnyk, which has been a reoccurring theme lately. They catch the LA Kings on the back end of a back-to-back and escape with a regulation win, giving them 81 points and sole possession of the last wild card for the moment. The Colorado Avalanche, however, have a game in-hand and a two-game lead in ROW wins.

The Dallas Stars’ thumping of the Chicago Blackhawks kept them two points up on the St. Louis Blues for the Central lead and extended their conference lead over the Kings to four games.

All three California teams lost in regulation, so that’s a wash. Even if one of those teams should feel shame for losing to Mike Brown and the Canadiens.

Here are the latest Western Conference playoff odds from Sports Club Stats:

NHL
NHL

*Wild Card Teams

The West can take a breather tonight with no games on the schedule. The Rangers host Boston and the Islanders host Ottawa in their critical game in-hand on the Penguins and Flyers.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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