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NHL Playoff Death Watch: Flyers tighten grip on wild card

Greg Wyshynski
Death Watch

Since we're down to the final moments of postseason life for teams in contention, Puck Daddy solemnly begins a daily countdown to annihilation.

The Philadelphia Flyers took down the Washington Capitals on RIVALRY NIGHT (tm) in a shootout, solidifying their hold on the second wild card and creeping forever closer to the New York Islanders, who now have a game in-hand.

The Flyers have 89 points with 35 ROW and have six games left; the Islanders have 91 points with 36 ROW and seven games left.

Here are the current standings. The Death Watch tracks the final Wild Card spot and the teams that are chasing it. Their “tragic number” is the number of points gained by the final wild card team or lost by the team chasing it.

All playoff percentages are from Sports Club Stats; tragic numbers and other figures via the NHL. A team is eliminated from play-offs when their "Tragic Number" hits 0.

The Eastern Conference picture, via the NHL:

NHL
NHL

Fare thee well, Ottawa Senators. You were Canada’s last, not-so-great hope.

The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens and the Florida Panthers host the New Jersey Devils as they continue their tangle atop the Atlantic.

The New York Rangers and Eric Staal are in Raleigh to play the Carolina Hurricanes, trying to keep ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who host the Nashville Predators. The New York Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Here are the latest Eastern Conference playoff odds from Sports Club Stats:

NHL
NHL

*Wild Card Teams

Again, the Red Wings have a much better chance (31 percent) to finish third in the Atlantic than in either wild card.

Meanwhile, in the West:

NHL
NHL

The Anaheim Ducks hop over the Los Angeles Kings into first in the Pacific with their win over the Calgary Flames, who play the Kings tonight.

The Ducks have 96 points. The Kings have 95. But LA has a significant advantage in ROW (43) with six games remaining for both – and they face off on April 7.

Here are the latest Western Conference playoff odds from Sports Club Stats:

NHL
NHL

*Wild Card Teams

Here we go: The Preds are in Pittsburgh. Minnesota hosts the Senators. If the former loses and the latter wins, the Wild are two points back with four games remaining, and the Colorado Avalanche’s tragic number drops to four.

The Arizona Coyotes are out if they lose a point to the Dallas Stars or if the Wild gain a point.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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