NHL REGULAR SEASON REACHES CLIMACTIC FINAL WEEKEND WITH EXCITING SCRAMBLE FOR PLAYOFF BERTHS AND POSITIONING
The 2015-16 National Hockey League regular season enters an exciting final weekend with all eight Stanley Cup Playoff First Round matchups to be finalized, as well as one Conference title, two Division titles and two playoff berths.
All 30 clubs are in action on Saturday, April 9, followed by a pair of games on Sunday, April 10, both of which remain potentially crucial to the postseason picture.
Highlighting Saturday’s 15-game slate:
* The Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues vie for the Central Division title and No. 1 seed in the Western Conference
* The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks pursue the Pacific Division title
* The Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers compete for the final two playoff berths in the Eastern Conference
* The NY Islanders and NY Rangers skate for third place in the Metropolitan Division
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Team Today Possible Finishes Potential First Round Opponents
Florida A1 A1 (locked) NY Islanders or NY Rangers
Tampa Bay A2 A2 (locked) Detroit or Boston
Detroit A3 A3, WC2 or Out Tampa Bay or Washington
Washington M1 M1 (locked) Detroit, Boston or Philadelphia
Pittsburgh M2 M2 (locked) NY Islanders or NY Rangers
NY Islanders M3 M3 or WC1 Florida or Pittsburgh
NY Rangers WC1 M3 or WC1 Florida or Pittsburgh
Boston WC2 A3, WC2 or Out Tampa Bay or Washington
Philadelphia OUT WC2 or Out Washington
A – Atlantic Division M – Metropolitan Division WC – Wild Card
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Team Today Possible Finishes Potential First Round Opponents
Dallas C1 C1 or C2 Minnesota or Chicago
St. Louis C2 C1 or C2 Minnesota or Chicago
Chicago C3 C3 (locked) Dallas or St. Louis
Los Angeles P1 P1 or P2 Nashville or San Jose
Anaheim P2 P1 or P2 Nashville or San Jose
San Jose P3 P3 (locked) Los Angeles or Anaheim
Nashville WC1 WC1 (locked) Los Angeles or Anaheim
Minnesota WC2 WC2 (locked) Dallas or St. Louis
C – Central Division P – Pacific Division WC – Wild Card
2015-16 NHL Regular-Season Schedule Finale (all times Eastern)
Saturday, April 9
Ottawa at Boston, 12:30 p.m.
Detroit at NY Rangers, 12:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 3:00 p.m.
Anaheim at Colorado, 5:30 p.m.
Calgary at Minnesota, 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7:00 p.m.
Carolina at Florida, 7:00 p.m.
Toronto at New Jersey, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago at Columbus, 7:00 p.m.
Buffalo at NY Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
Washington at St. Louis, 8:00 p.m.
Nashville at Dallas, 8:00 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 10:00 p.m.
Winnipeg at Los Angeles, 10:00 p.m.
Arizona at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 10
Philadelphia at NY Islanders, 7:00 p.m.
Anaheim at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
RACE FOR THE FINAL TWO PLAYOFF BERTHS:
DETROIT RED WINGS, BOSTON BRUINS, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Detroit Red Wings Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: at NY Rangers
DET Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch playoff berth
Shootout win: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Bruins lose to the Senators in any fashion
(2) Bruins defeat Senators in a shootout
(3) Flyers lose to Penguins in any fashion
* Cannot be eliminated with shootout win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Bruins lose to Senators in any fashion
(2) Flyers lose to Penguins in regulation
* Cannot be eliminated with OT/shootout loss
Regulation loss: Will clinch playoff berth if:
(1) Bruins lose to Senators in regulation
Will be eliminated if all of the following occur:
(1) Bruins get at least one point against Senators
(2) Flyers defeat Penguins in any fashion
Boston Bruins Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Ottawa
BOS Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Red Wings lose to Rangers in any fashion
(2) Red Wings defeat Rangers in a shootout
(3) Flyers lose to Penguins in any fashion
* Cannot be eliminated with regulation/OT win
Shootout win: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Red Wings lose to Rangers in any fashion
(2) Flyers lose to Penguins in any fashion
* Cannot be eliminated with shootout win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Red Wings lose to Rangers in regulation
(2) Flyers lose to Penguins in regulation
* Cannot be eliminated with OT/shootout loss
Regulation loss: Cannot clinch playoff berth
Will be eliminated if:
(1) Flyers defeat Penguins in any fashion
Philadelphia Flyers Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Pittsburgh
PHI Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch playoff berth if any of the following occurs:
(1) Red Wings lose to Rangers in regulation
(2) Bruins lose to Senators in regulation
* Cannot be eliminated with regulation/OT win
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Cannot clinch playoff berth
Will be eliminated if all of the following occur:
(1) Red Wings defeat Rangers in any fashion
(2) Bruins defeat Senators in any fashion
Regulation loss: Cannot clinch playoff berth
Will be eliminated if all of the following occur:
(1) Red Wings get at least one point against Rangers
(2) Bruins get at least one point against Senators
RACE FOR THIRD PLACE IN THE METROPOLITAN DIVISION:
NEW YORK ISLANDERS AND NEW YORK RANGERS
New York Islanders Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Buffalo
NYI Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division if:
(1) Rangers lose to Red Wings in any fashion
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division if:
(1) Rangers lose to Red Wings in regulation
Regulation loss: Cannot clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division
Will clinch 1st Wild Card if:
(1) Rangers defeat Red Wings in any fashion
New York Rangers Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Detroit
NYR Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division if:
(1) Islanders lose to Sabres in regulation
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Cannot clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division
Will clinch 1st Wild Card if:
(1) Islanders defeat Sabres in any fashion
Regulation loss: Cannot clinch No. 3 seed in Metropolitan Division
Will clinch 1st Wild Card if:
(1) Islanders get at least one point against Sabres
RACE FOR CENTRAL DIVISION TITLE AND WESTERN CONFERENCE NO. 1 SEED:
DALLAS STARS AND ST. LOUIS BLUES
Dallas Stars Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Nashville
DAL Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch Central Division title and No. 1 seed in Western Conference
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch Central Division title and No. 1 seed in Western Conference if:
(1) Blues lose to Capitals in any fashion
Will clinch No. 2 seed in Central Division if:
(1) Blues defeat Capitals in any fashion
Regulation loss: Will clinch Central Division title and No. 1 seed in Western Conference if:
(1) Blues lose to Capitals in regulation
Will clinch No. 2 seed in Central Division if:
(1) Blues get at least one point against Capitals
St. Louis Blues Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Washington
STL Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch Central Division title and No. 1 seed in Western Conference if:
(1) Stars lose to Predators in any fashion
Will clinch No. 2 seed in Central Division if:
(1) Stars defeat Predators in any fashion
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch Central Division title and No. 1 seed in Western Conference if:
(1) Stars lose to Predators in regulation
Will clinch No. 2 seed in Central Division if:
(1) Stars get at least one point against Predators
Regulation loss: Will clinch No. 2 seed in Central Division
RACE FOR PACIFIC DIVISION TITLE:
LOS ANGELES KINGS AND ANAHEIM DUCKS
Los Angeles Kings Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: home vs. Winnipeg
LAK Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Will clinch Pacific Division title
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch Pacific Division title if:
(1) Ducks lose to Avalanche in any fashion
Regulation loss: Will clinch Pacific Division title if:
(1) Ducks lose to Avalanche in regulation
Anaheim Ducks Saturday Playoff Scenario
Opponent: at Colorado
ANA Result Playoff Impact
Regulation/OT win: Cannot clinch Pacific Division title
Will clinch No. 2 seed in Pacific Division if:
(1) Kings defeat Jets in any fashion
Shootout win: Same as regulation/OT win
OT/Shootout loss: Will clinch No. 2 seed in Pacific Division if:
(1) Kings get at least one point against Jets
Regulation loss: Will clinch No. 2 seed in Pacific Division
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
National Hockey League Press Release. Information provided from the NHL that describes various news releases that describe current events in the league.