The race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference is ferocious. The Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are tied in points. Who gets in?
There's a logjam in the NHL's Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Three teams – the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets – are tied with 88 points each. The Blue Jackets have played one more game than the other two, and the Senators have more regulation wins, so they're in the second wild-card spot.
The Boston Bruins have a firm hold on the first wild-card spot, so it's essentially a race for only one playoff berth.
Of the three, the Senators look the strongest right now and should be considered the favorites to finish eighth in the East.
Recent results play a notable role, given that form will likely carry each team the rest of the way.
Ottawa has gone 10-4-1 in its past 15 games – salvaging its season in the process.
Their 2.47 goals against per game in that span are the third-fewest in the NHL. Columbus ranks fifth with 2.75 goals against per game, while Detroit sits 14th in that span at three goals.
That is a refreshing sight for a Senators squad whose goaltending has improved significantly from earlier in the season – and two games don't change that. Goalie Linus Ullmark is looking strong overall, posting a save percentage of .913 or better in four of his past six games.
The Senators also beat Detroit and the Buffalo Sabres in two of their last five games. This is now a confident-looking Senators team that has a game in hand on Columbus, so its destiny is largely in its hands.
The Red Wings, meanwhile, have been in a prolonged slump.
They've gone 6-8-2 in their past 16 games and fell out of a playoff spot. They have also lost four of their past six games, jeopardizing GM Steve Yzerman's job security.
Detroit and Ottawa have seven games left, and they both face above-average teams, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild. The Senators also face the Carolina Hurricanes, but their overall form in the past month suggests they can handle these challenges better than Detroit can.
The Red Wings also have a game on Tuesday against the Blue Jackets – and the results of that game could determine who gets the wild-card spot.
Finally, the Jackets are also a cold team at the worst possible time.
They've lost five straight games, including four in regulation. They have also gone 6-5-4 in their past 15 games, which is concerning for Blue Jackets fans to see after their squad went 19-3-4 in the first 26 games under new coach Rick Bowness.
The Blue Jackets have the league's eighth-toughest remaining schedule, according to tankathon.com. They face the Sabres, Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Of course, the Jackets' showdown against the Wings could decide their season.
So, the Senators have, on paper, the best shot at locking up a wild-card berth because they're looking strong enough to stay above the others through the next two weeks.
If and when at least two of these teams miss the playoffs, the players, staff and fans will undoubtedly be heartbroken. That's NHL parity for you.
It's now up to the Senators to try to build on last season's playoff appearance and try to make it back. The Red Wings and Blue Jackets, meanwhile, will try to end nine- and five-year playoff droughts, respectively. To do that, they will need to flush this current form and heat up at the right time.
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