Here's what postseason matchups look like after play on Thursday, March 31:
| Team | Team | Season Series |
|---|---|---|
| A1 Panthers | W1 Islanders | 1-1-1 |
| A2 Lightning | A3 Bruins | 2-1-1 Lightning |
| M1 Capitals | W2 Flyers | 2-0-2 Capitals |
| M2 Penguins | M3 Rangers | 3-1 Penguins |
| Team | Points | Games Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Islanders | 93 | 6 |
| 2. Flyers | 89 | 6 |
| Red Wings | 87 | 5 |
| Hurricanes | 84 | 4 |
| Team | Team | Season Series |
|---|---|---|
| C1 Stars | W2 Wild | 3-1 Stars |
| C2 Blues | C3 Blackhawks | 2-0-2 Blackhawks |
| P1 Kings | W1 Predators | 2-1 Kings |
| P2 Ducks | P3 Sharks | 3-1 Ducks |
| Team | Points | Games Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Predators | 91 | 4 |
| 2. Wild | 87 | 4 |
| Avalanche | 82 | 5 |
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Duncan Keith will plead his case Friday, and over the phone.
The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman declined his offered in-person hearing, choosing not to travel to the NHL offices to speak to the NHL's Department of Player Safety and address his high stick to the face of Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle.
Keith, whose been suspended twice earlier in his career, can be banned in excess of six games for the ugly stick-swinging incident.
He earned a match penalty and game misconduct for the transgression, and will likely not be eligible until some point in the postseason.
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Jaromir Jagr can't stop fans of the Florida Panthers from hurling rats onto the ice to celebrate goals. In fact, he doesn't really mind the rubber rodents. But he does take issue with the two-minute delay-of-game penalties that come with the display.
After Thursday's game - a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils - the ageless one urged the NHL to step in and prevent officials from punishing the team for their fans' excitement before another incident costs them valuable points, or worse, hurts them in the playoffs.
"I don't think we should get two minutes for that," Jagr began his postgame scrum. "The league should do something about it. If they are going to give us a penalty every time somebody throw a rat, whoever we play in playoffs is going to hire some guys to throw the rats, and get a power play all game."
The fans were warned on multiple occasions not to throw the rats, which were handed out to commemorate the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.
But Jagr doesn't blame them.
"We're trying to sell the game. You (shouldn't) get penalized for selling the game. It doesn't make sense to me. It shouldn't be like that."
The Panthers successfully killed two minor penalties as a result of rats littering the ice after their second and third goals, which helped them move two points clear of the Tampa Bay Lightning atop the Pacific Division.
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After a 3-0 shutout loss to the shorthanded Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos directed aim at teammates who've perhaps had complacency creep into their games.
"We had too many passengers tonight. It's unacceptable," he said, reports Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.
"There's no excuses here," he added. "It's look yourself-in-the-mirror time. If you're not giving the effort, you're letting your teammates down."
Tampa coasted after falling behind 2-0 early in the second period, mustering just 12 shots over the next 39-plus minutes.
With the loss, the Lightning, who've traded points throughout March, fell two points back of the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning have just one home date remaining before finishing the season with a four-game road trip.
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