Three teams chase final NHL spot
The NHL playoff chase for the final Eastern Conference spot tightened with the Flyers, Capitals and Blue Jackets all still contending as the regular season wound down. (Coverage noted the three‑team battle and highlighted recent moments across those clubs as they fight for the last berth.) (x.com)
Three teams entered the National Hockey League’s final week separated by three points in a fight for the last Eastern Conference berth: Philadelphia at 94, Washington at 93 and Columbus at 92. (espn.com) Philadelphia holds the inside track because the Flyers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with two games left, while the Capitals and Blue Jackets each had one game remaining as of Monday, April 13. (espn.com) (nhl.com) The National Hockey League sends the top three teams from each division to the playoffs, then fills two wild-card spots in each conference with the next-best point totals. That format left the Flyers chasing a division berth while Washington and Columbus were trying to catch them from below. (nhl.com) The race narrowed after the New York Islanders were eliminated Sunday with a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, leaving Philadelphia, Washington and Columbus as the last realistic contenders in that slice of the East. (tsn.ca) (nhl.com) Philadelphia gave itself margin with a 7-1 win at Winnipeg on Saturday, when Sean Couturier scored twice and added an assist and Noah Cates also had three points. The Flyers’ official site said that result cut their magic number to three. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Washington stayed alive the same day by beating Pittsburgh 6-3 behind Ilya Protas’ first National Hockey League goal and two assists, plus two goals from Ryan Leonard and another from Alex Ovechkin. National Hockey League Media said the Capitals would be eliminated with a regulation loss Sunday to Pittsburgh, which showed how little room they had left. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Columbus extended its path by beating Montreal 5-2 on Saturday, with Charlie Coyle scoring twice and Boone Jenner, Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko adding goals. Even after that win, the Blue Jackets still trailed Philadelphia by two points. (nhl.com) (espn.com) The immediate hinge game was Philadelphia’s home matchup with Carolina on Monday night. If the Flyers won in any fashion, or even took an overtime or shootout loss in both remaining games, outside playoff calculators and matchup breakdowns said their spot would be secure. (sports.yahoo.com) (nhl.com) If Philadelphia lost to Carolina in regulation, the door stayed open for Tuesday’s Washington-Columbus game to decide whether either pursuer could still jump the Flyers. Yahoo’s playoff-race breakdown said Columbus needed two Philadelphia regulation losses plus a regulation win over Washington, while Washington’s path was broader because it held the first tiebreaker over Philadelphia. (sports.yahoo.com) The standings also set up a possible first-round Pennsylvania series, because Pittsburgh had already locked up second place in the Metropolitan Division while Philadelphia was trying to finish third. That made every point in the final 48 hours count twice: first to get in, then to determine whether the state rivalry would open the playoffs. (nhl.com) (sports.yahoo.com)
