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Top-4: Flyers eliminate Wings… by pulling their goalie for nothing
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot
Last night, eight games were on the bill.

Several teams were playing out their season.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Flyers eliminate Wings… by pulling their goalie for nothing

The big news of the evening in the NHL: the Capitals’ qualification… because of the Flyers… who eliminated the Wings.

The situation is a little controversial and strange, but let me explain.

In order to qualify for the playoffs, Philadelphia had to win evenly against Washington and hope that the Wings and Penguins (who are playing tonight) would lose in 60 minutes. At 1-1 late in the game, John Tortorella decided to pull his goalie, but he didn’t know it was unnecessary to do so since Detroit had just forced overtime in Montreal.

The coach admitted to the media that he didn’t know, but even if he had, he would have pulled Samuel Ersson.

There was a big miscommunication somewhere. It’s the Red Wings who are angry, since it opened the door to a Capitals victory when the Flyers didn’t need to fight: they were already eliminated.

Philadelphia handed the Caps victory on a silver platter. Washington thus qualified for the spring tournament.

The duels are set in concrete in the East.

2. Duels in the East

Speaking of duels in the East, here they are:

Maple Leafs and Bruins cross swords in first round.

Toronto will be looking to avenge their numerous setbacks in recent years against their long-time rivals.

As for the Panthers, who won yesterday against the Leafs, they finished first in the division. Thanks to the Senators, who beat the Bruins. Florida will face the other Florida team, the Lightning.

In the Metro, the Rangers, who finished first in the NHL, take on Alexander Ovechkin’s Capitals. Then, Patrick Roy’s team will cross swords with the ever-dangerous Hurricanes.

Can duels in the East get any more exciting, do you think?

3. Auston Matthews ends season with 69 goals

To reach the 70-goal plateau, Auston Matthews needed to score 15 goals in his last 15 games.

Prior to yesterday’s game, he had scored 14 in 14 games. But in a loss to the Panthers, the 34 was unable to reach the prestigious plateau.

He came close, however.

Still, 69 goals isn’t bad either.

Remember that Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny (1992-1993) were the last two players to score 70 goals in a season.

Matthews finished the season with 107 points, one point more than his best season before 2023-2024.

4. Western duels

Important victory for the Jets last night at the hands of the Seattle Kraken by a score of 4-3.

Winnipeg reached 108 points and secured first-round home-ice advantage.

Rick Bowness’ club will face the Colorado Avalanche.

The other Canadian team, the Vancouver Canucks, have secured first place in the Pacific. Vancouver is likely to host the Nashville Predators, the first team to be drafted.

As for the other match-ups, that’s not yet settled. The Golden Knights and Kings still have a game in hand. In addition, the duel between teams 2 and 3 of the Pacific, as well as the best team in the West, surely the Stars, and the eighth team are still to be determined.


Prolongation

– Ovi approaches Gretzky.

– A first career.

– Well done.

– Zach Werenski leads the charge.

(Credit: NHL.com )

– Four games tonight.

(Credit: Google )

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