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The Race Is On: Playing Leapfrog

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Photo credit:Shell International Limited
Art Middleton
6 years ago
Someone must have cued up some House Of Pain because a few teams were fixing to Jump Around in the standings on Monday night.
(I’m not sorry for this opening line. I refuse to make any apologies for it. Just be glad I didn’t use Kris Kross.)
The Vegas Golden Knights made some history on Monday by clinching a playoff spot with a 4-1 over the Colorado Avalanche. The win also vaulted the Knights back over the idle Winnipeg Jets for second in the Western Conference.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Buffalo Sabres.
That has nothing to do with anything. I just thought it would be funny to point out.
San Jose – the Winnipeg Jets of the Pacific division in terms of their second place status in it – beat Chicago in a shootout, so they kept pace with the Knights for first in the Pacific division and remain six points behind. They also got six points clear of Anaheim and Los Angeles.
The Kings win over the Flames puts them back into a points tie in the Pacific with the Ducks, but the Ducks hold down third place for now as they hold the greater edge in points percentage. The Kings win also knocked the St. Louis Blues out of a playoff spot for now, but St. Louis also has a game in hand over pretty much everyone else around them and two games on the Kings..
The Flames are officially eliminated from the playoffs. So too are the New York Islanders.

The Magic Numbers

Playoff spot: CLINCHED!
Points needed to clinch second place in Central: 6
This is any combination of points earned by Winnipeg or lost by Minnesota.

The Standings

The Teams

Winnipeg Jets

Last Game: Win vs Nashville 5-4 (03/25)
Next Game: Vs Boston – March 27
Games Remaining:
 7
3 Home: BOS, CGY, CHI
4 Road: CHI, TOR, OTT, MTL
Headline: Jets try to tamp down expectations (CBC)

Nashville Predators

Last Game: SOL @ Winnipeg 5-4 (03/25)
Next Game: Vs Minnesota – March 27
Games Remaining:
 7
4 Home: MIN, SJS, BUF, CBJ
3 Road: TBL, FLA, WSH
Headline: Are the Preds in trouble? (Tennessean)

Minnesota Wild

Last Game: OTL Vs Boston 2-1 (03/25)
Next Game: @ Nashville – March 27
Games Remaining:
 7
2 Home: DAL, EDM
5 Road: NSH, DAL, ANA, LAK, SJS
Headline: Wild sign Greenway, but fit level is a concern (Hockey Wilderness)

Colorado Avalanche

Last Game: Loss @ Vegas 4-1 (03/26)
Next Game: Vs Philadelphia – March 28
Games Remaining: 
6
3 Home: PHI, CHI, STL
3 Road: ANA, LAK, SJS
Headline: Avs let game slip away in Vegas (Mile High Hockey)

St. Louis Blues

Last Game: Win @ Columbus 2-1 (03/24)
Next Game: Vs San Jose – March 27
Games Remaining:
 7
3 Home: SJS, WAS, CHI
4 Road: VGK, ARI, CHI, COL
Headline: Finding new ways to appreciate Pietrangelo (St. Louis Game Time)

Dallas Stars

Last Game: Loss Vs Vancouver 4-1 (03/25)
Next Game: Vs Philadelphia – March 27
Games Remaining: 6
2 Home: PHI, MIN
4 Road: MIN, SJS, ANA, LAK
Headline: The Stars deserve to miss the playoffs (Blackout Dallas)

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