When NHL players return from the Olympics, there will be less than two months remaining before playoffs start. Two of the three local teams, the Flyers and Penguins, would make the postseason if it were to end today.
Infographic by: NHL.com
The Pittsburgh Penguins lead the metropolitan division with 83 points, the closest competition is the New York Rangers sitting at 67 points; the Philadelphia Flyers are in third with 66 points. The Washington Capitals would miss the playoffs: they have 63 points and stand in 11/16 in the conference. Only eight teams in each conference make the playoffs.
Photo credit to Michael Miller via Wiki Commons.
With the new alignment of the divisions occurring this season, competition between the three local teams has increased drastically. Philly and Pittsburgh have been Atlantic division rivals since 1967, when the league expanded.
The last day of regular season hockey play is on Sunday, April 13, leaving teams like Washington, who are trying to make the postseason, little room for mistakes.
Junior Sarah Schertle knows this all seems too familiar for Washington.
“Every year we are in a tight race to make the playoffs and buckle down in the last few weeks and sneak in,” said Schertle. “I am worried about this year though. It seems like we are not taking games seriously, especially when we went through the stretch last month only winning four of sixteen games.”
The Capitals have 23 games left after the break, leaving a possible 46 points on the line. The Penguins have 24 games left, a possibility of 48 points. Philadelphia has 23 games left just like Washington.
With such a tight race, it will be important for players like Alex Ovechkin for the Caps to step up, and the same goes for Claude Giroux for the Flyers.
Health and physical education teacher Tony Sorice is proud of the way the Pens have played.
“It seems like they get better and better every year,” said Sorice. “We show up to play, and we are leading the Eastern conference because of it.”
The Capitals will play both the Flyers and the Penguins two more times, both back to back games in March. The Pens will play the Flyers three more times, two of the games occurring in March and the other in early April.
Senior Josh Gladfelter is hopeful about the Flyers playoff run this year.
“We missed the playoffs last year, but the team was never really in a good position to make the postseason. This year we are in third place now, and if we can just keep winning, I have hope,” said Gladfelter.
There is no way to predict how the regular season may end, but it is easy to say it is going to have a surprising ending.
