Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff races, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.
Eastern Conference
A win by the New Jersey Devils over the New York Islanders - combined with the Florida Panthers' loss to the Boston Bruins - has made for a clearer playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
The Panthers have won just two of their past six, and it's not about to get any easier, as three of their final five opponents are postseason contenders. One advantage, however, is that four of the contests will come on home ice.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes were eliminated from the playoff race Saturday with a loss to the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes have not qualified for the postseason since 2009.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devils | 4-3 W vs. NYI | 90.8% | +15.1% |
| Flyers | Off | 97.3% | +1.3% |
| Blue Jackets | 5-4 L (OT) vs. VAN | 99.3% | +0.5% |
| Panthers | 5-1 L vs. BOS | 12.6% | -17.1% |
Western Conference
The sidelines were the place to be Saturday, as all of the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings had the night off but still saw their respective playoff chances take a decent upswing.
At the other end of the spectrum, a shellacking from the 29th-place Arizona Coyotes will make for an interesting next few days for the St. Louis Blues. The Blues hold the second wild-card spot in the West, ahead of the Avalanche, but only by means of a tiebreaker. The two sides close out the season against each other on April 7.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Off | 58.8% | +8.6% |
| Ducks | Off | 83.6% | +4.1% |
| Kings | Off | 92.5% | +3.2% |
| Sharks | 3-2 L vs. VGK | 99.9% | 0% |
| Wild | 4-1 L vs. DAL | 98.5% | -0.5% |
| Blues | 6-0 L vs. ARI | 66.6% | -15.3% |
To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.
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