Mar 217 min read

Pressure Is On

Pressure is on! A month is all that remains for teams to secure an opportunity to fight for Lord Stanley. Four weeks and the dust is settled. We are prepped to witness the highest level of puck here in the coming weeks (and so on). The teams sittin' comfy will look to build a confidence wave going into their run for the Cup, while the teams fighting for the Wild-Card have already activated their do-or-die mode. It's now or never for the Wild-Card chasers. Fans, we have a wild finale to the finish line in store.

Seeds 1-6 for each conference are locked and secure for the most part; leaving the focus on the final Wild-Card spots. Here is how things look as of today:

We are sure to see more shuffling between the top six seeds per conference, but the teams are locked besides the Pacific battle of LA/VGK, and the Metro battle of WAS/PHI. Flyers are on the decline, which could allow the Capitals, or even the Islanders, a chance to make a major slipstream maneuver to take a seat in the Metro's three. Golden Knights and the Kings are tied at 79 points; Kings currently hold the tie-breaker advantage, but they must slam their foot on the gas to stay in the Pacific three. An exciting finish is coming in those two facets. We also have an exciting finish in the East for the one seed between the Bruins; Rangers; and Panthers. They fight for the top seeds in the East... and the Presidents trophy.

I hold a sour tongue on this year's Presidents' race. As I do for the Wild-Card race in the East. This year, I have reached a peak on my hatred for the overtime-loss point. I am over it. Six teams currently have double-digit OTLs with three of the six being seated in the playoff picture. Those three being the Bruins, Kings, and Islanders (in the WC hunt). Bruins being the worst of the three. Boston has a chance to be the first team to win back-to-back President trophies since the Capitals in 2016-2017. They only have that chance thanks to their league-leading 15 overtime loss points. Bruins have six more losses and five less wins compared to the Panthers and Rangers (same records), but have more points. Who cares though, participation points rule, right? Please.

I have always thought OTL to be an utter joke and a shame to sports. This year makes me feel it with a burning fashion. If you take away the OTL points, Rangers and Panthers would be the two racing for the President Trophy... as they are the two teams leading the league in wins. Blues would be over the Knights and Kings in the playoff seeding. Islanders wouldn't be in the playoff picture with their 29 wins, and both Wild-Card races would have the respected racers. I just hate the fact we reward losing. "It don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning". They have no cool quotes for losing, because we shouldn't be rooted to support losing!

Looks like we will have two exciting races to the finish amongst the Wild-Card hunters. In the East, the Lightning have a comfy lead for the top Wild-Card spot, but the final spot is currently in war conditions with a three-team bloodbath. Five teams are realistically eligible, but the front of the pact is a three-wide front with the Islanders, Red Wings, and Capitals duking it out. Washington has elevated in a big-way of late, while the Red Wings are losing at will... losing both games and team chemistry:

video via JeannaTrotmanTV//X

Detroit is on a complete derail losing eight of their last ten games, and if it wasn't for Lucas Raymond, one of the cats scrappin' in that practice there- the Wings would have lost to the Blue Jackets and nine of their last ten. Not quite sure what's going on in Hockeytown, but they outta flip the switch back- and quick. Capitals and Islanders are on their wing; ready to activate a pass. With having just a one point lead over the Caps, and a three point lead over the Isles, the Wings need to stop the consistent losing if they don't wish to pull a Reggie Miller.

New York is going in the wrong direction, like Detroit. Islanders have lost five in a row after winning six in a row. They moved up fast, just to collide into the wall, and back in Detroit's rearview mirror. Isles are proving they don't belong, despite their OTL points, but the Wings are letting them stay in it. Unlike the Isles, the Caps aren't just stayin' it; they are ear to ear with Detroit ready to hit the next gear to activate a pass. Since the Capitals' 3-8 L by the hands of the Wings, Washington is playin' with some swagger of late to win six of their last nine as they ride a current 3-game win streak. Ironic motives after the front office were major sellers at the trade-deadline.

It's capital punishment in DC as Ovi is back to scoring in his chase-down of 894 while the Caps chase-down the final Wild-Card spot with reckless abandon for any foe who steps in their way. Ovechkin's offensive production has helped the Caps in a big-way. Since February, Ovi has scored 12 of his 21 goals on the season. Washington has won the last five games that Ovechkin has scored a goal in. Surpassing 20+ goals marked Ovechkin as the third player in history to do so in 19 or more consecutive seasons; joining Gordie Howe (1949-1970) and Brendan Shanahan (1988-2007). Ovi's streak started from his debut season: he's the only man ever to accomplish that feat. Each goal scored elevates the legend up the all-time list and closer to the prestigious 894 (Gretzky's record). Each goal also helps Washington secure a spot for a chance to make a run at Lord Stanley.

Capitals remaining schedule is TOUGH. If these cats want the playoffs, then they better be ready to win some trench warfare. They are tasked with playing and beating the best of the best. It all starts this weekend. Hurricanes. Jets. Back-to-back. Then the Caps play the Wings, Maple Leafs, and Bruins to follow. There is TWO Capitals/Red Wings bouts left, with both having massive implications. Washington is going to have to dig down deep. This East battle is going to be fun to watch playout; same with the Wild-Card battle in the West.

The last Wild-Card spot in the West remains a three-team fight with the defending champion Golden Knights sill holding claim. Minnesota and St. Louis have rode a solid wave to remain in the hunt. Now, just a few mishaps by VGK, and we can see this race get even tighter. After playing a tough week out East in Jersey and New York (three straight Ls), the Blues hit on the right notes winning four straight with wins over LA, Boston, and Minnesota. They have won three points over the Wild in March and still have one game left against the Knights. St Louis has a leg in the race and can exploit a solid schedule remaining to utilize a slipstream behind the Knights.

Blues have a THIRD game against their rival Wild coming up, which is followed by their final game against VGK. Massive set of games for St. Louis. On top of those two, the Blues play seven of their final thirteen games against teams in the Pacific. Minnesota is 12-4-1 against the Pacific division and has won eight straight regulation games against the Pacific (2-3 OTL to EDM on 2/28). Blues outta be lickin' their chops when they look at their remaining schedj. The Wild have a much tougher schedule remaining... the game between the two is going to be massive. Vegas better exploit their easy schedule. They better keep their eyes forward. Any mishap, or any head swivels behind their shoulder could be just enough a mistake for the Blues or Wild to use to steal the final WC spot in the closing moments.

Hurricanes and Avalanche are red-hot going into April

Colorado and Carolina are beginning to ride a new wave since their combination of moves under the wire at the deadline. Both teams are rockin' right now as they each ride a winning streak. Avs have won seven in a row; Hurricanes have won four in a row. Both have been impressive; winning with a variety of blowouts and overtime winners.

Colorado has three overtime dubs, recorded a consecutive 5-nil shutout of the Blackhawks, and have outscored their opps 31-13 across their streak. Carolina has a shutout over the Panthers, stopped their shootout losing streak, and have outscored their four opps 20-7. Hurricanes lost the nail-biter to the Rangers (1-0), but have won seven of their last eight games as they fight for the highest seed they can get out of the Metropolitan. Canes are 15-5-1 since the beginning of February. They are playing their best hockey right now and are jelling together their bolstered team in the process. Same goes for the Avs after they had lost seven of ten in February.

Both the Avs and Canes have a percentage chance of earning the top seed out of their respected divisions. Hurricanes chase the mighty Rangers, trailing by just four points. The 1-nil regulation dub for New York was surely a massive two points. Hurricanes are still in that fight, though. Colorado is in a fight of their own right- a triple threat slug-fest with the Stars and Jets, who all sit with 93 points going into the weekend. Avalanche play both the Stars and Jets one last time before we reach the checkered flag. How high can they go? The pressure is on.

Pressure Is On

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