Race for the chase: NHL’s Eastern Conference
| Team | PTS | GR | Home | Away | Remaining Schedule |
| New Jersey | 90 | 6 | 4 | 2 | Chi, TB, @Car, NYI, @Det, Ott |
| Ottawa | 88 | 5 | 2 | 3 | @Phi, @NYI, Car, Bos, @NJ |
| Washington | 84 | 6 | 3 | 3 | Buf, @Bos, Mon, @TB, Fla, @NYR |
| Buffalo | 84 | 6 | 2 | 4 | @Was, Pit, @Tor, Tor, @Phi, @Bos |
| Winnipeg | 78 | 6 | 2 | 4 | NYR, @Car, @TB, @Fla, @NYI, TB |
Peej’s Pucks (Follow him on twitter @peej___ )
Going into Tuesday night’s action, here are the up to the minute standings in the Eastern conference: 5 teams competing for 3 playoff spots and here’s the breakdown as we approach crunch time of the NHL season.
New Jersey
NJ will have to find a way to put the puck in the net if they plan to make any noise in the playoffs. However, their 4 pt edge with 4 home games remaining (20 – 13 – 4 at home) has me believing they’ll get into the postseason. The biggest remaining question is who their opponent will be in the first round but unless the neutral zone trap comes back into fashion or Marty Brodeur finds the fountain of youth, this team can’t make a deep run.
Ottawa
The Sens are definitely in a battle for the postseason with 3 out of their final 5 games away from the nations capital (18 – 13 – 6 away) Before back to back impressive wins over the beast in the east Pittsburgh and Winnipeg on the highway, the Senators playoff hopes were on life support. If they can find a way to carry this momentum into their final stretch coupled with a healthy Craig Anderson between the pipes, don’t count them out as a sleeper on the bottom half of the draw.
Washington
If the caps don’t make the playoffs their loss to the Jets Friday night will serve as a microcosm of season long failure. Squandering a 3 goal lead at home in the thick of a playoff race not exactly fitting of a team built to hoist the cup. Tonight’s game vs the Sabres is do or die for this underachieving side and while it’s easy to blame the fired Bruce Boudreau for the flop, the onus for missing the playoffs should fall squarely on the players.
Buffalo
The Sabres are rolling right now and will have to beat the Leafs in a home and home series at the end of the month if they want any shot of making the playoffs. Their remaining schedule is the toughest of the other playoff contenders but considering all the money they put into their off season acquisitions, this is due or die for Darcy Regier. Finally we’re seeing the Sabres team we expected to see all season long although the main question that remains is it going to be too little too late?
Winnipeg
Losing to Ottawa last night wasn’t quite a nail in the coffin but the lid’s on their pretty tight with only 6 games left chasing 6 pts in the standings and 2 other teams. Gut level says one of the league’s better storylines of the 2011-12 season won’t end with a fairytale finish like Jets diehards had hoped. Silver lining? Bluebombers practice is about to start as football returns to the Canadian prairies.
