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Message to the teams in the running: they need to win games to qualify for the playoffs
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Message to the teams in the running: they need to win games to qualify for the playoffs
Credit: Getty Images
Do teams fighting for the last playoff spot in the East know they need to win more hockey games than not to qualify for the playoffs?

Note: I’m not talking about the Senators here. That team has a good lead over other teams hoping to make the playoffs as a wild card… and that team is winning hockey games.

Over the last 10 games, the Senators have seven wins, having played 70 games this season, and they have five more points than the Islanders, the first team outside the playoff picture.

(Credit: NHL.com)
Yesterday, those same New York Islanders lost to the Vancouver Canucks. With a win, Patrick Roy’s team would have woken up in a playoff spot.

But that didn’t happen.

The Canadiens have 12 points in their last 10 games (60% of possible points, a passing grade for an elementary school student) and the Islanders have 11. But behind them, there are teams that don’t understand they need to win games to stay in the race.

For example?

  • Rangers: 3-6-1 in their last 10 games
  • Blue Jackets: 2-7-1 in their last 10 games
  • Red Wings: 3-7-0 in their last 10 games
  • Bruins: 2-7-1 in their last 10 games
You’ll tell me that it’s precisely because these teams don’t win often that they’re so low in the standings – and that’s not wrong. However, we don’t always feel a great sense of urgency.

The Canadiens have only three regulation wins (an important element in case of a tie) in their last 10 games and have lost their last three games… but they’re still in the playoffs. How is that?

The Canadiens still have room to maneuver with 12 games left in their season and no team in the league having played fewer than 70 games. Their points percentage of 53.6 is better than that of other teams in the race.

But still: it’s thin.

Let’s say that not winning in Philly (one win in their last 10 games) tonight would hurt their chances of hanging on to the last playoff spot.

Note that tonight’s game between Ottawa and Detroit will also be worth watching.


Overtime

– It starts today.

– Deadline: the Oilers wanted Jean-Gabriel Pageau. [RG media]

– To watch.

– Daniel Brière wants to follow in the Canadiens’ footsteps. [98.5 FM]

– Victory in the playoffs.

– He’s doing well there.

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