Florida and the teams they're fighting with to reach the postseason have very different remaining schedules
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs draw ever closer, the Florida Panthers are doing their part to get in.
They’ve won a season-high five straight games and earned the right to lead the Wild Card race with just three games to go.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, things could be about to get more difficult.
Entering Saturday’s full slate of NHL games, Florida sits atop the Wild Card standings. They’re tied with the New York Islanders in points, each team holding 89, but the Cats own the tiebreak advantage due to having more regulation wins (Florida has 35, the Islanders have 34).
On the outside of the playoff chase looking in are the Pittsburgh Penguins, one point back of the Cats and Isles but with only 30 regulation wins. Florida, Pittsburgh and New York all have three games remaining on their respective schedules.
The Buffalo Sabres, not to be ignored, are mathematically still alive thanks to having 83 points and two games in hand on the three teams they’re chasing.
“We know these are very important games,” Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said after defeating Ottawa Thursday. “I think the whole streak we’ve really buckled up as a group and didn’t want to waste any more games. Tonight, we got a big win and the teams around us got big wins, and it’s going to be a fight all the way to the finish that we’re really looking forward to.”
Defying the odds, Florida bounced back from a four-game losing streak that suddenly feels like ages ago and climbed into the driver’s seat. The road ahead, though, may be a bit bumpy.
Here’s where the hope comes in for teams not named the Panthers.
Florida plays its final road game Saturday in Washington against the floundering Capitals, who have lost eight of their past nine to ruin their playoff hopes after being in the mix for much of the season.
After that, the Panthers face a pair of very strong opponents. However, both games will be played in South Florida and in at least one case, the visitor may end up with mixed motivational emotions.
That comes on Monday when Florida hosts Toronto.
The Maple Leafs are locked into second place in the Atlantic Division and a first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
With home ice in round one guaranteed, the only thing Toronto could be playing for is a better record to try and get home ice if they reach the Conference Finals and beyond.
In the Conference Final and Stanley Cup Final, home ice goes to the team with the better regular season record. During the first two rounds, it goes to the higher playoff seed.
Back to the Panthers, who will wrap up their regular season schedule Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
There is a chance that Carolina locks up first place in the Metropolitan Division before they arrive in South Florida, but as it currently stands, the race is very tight.
Carolina has four games remaining and 109 points. Right behind them are the New Jersey Devils with 108 points, and mathematically alive are the New York Rangers with 104 points. Both the Rangers and Devils have just three games left though.
So yeah, two very good teams with potentially varying motivational outlooks when they eventually travel to Florida.
Overall, three games and six points left on the table. Win, and you’re in.
“We know we have to win games to (make the playoffs),” Panthers captain Sasha Barkov said Thursday. “That’s what we’ve been doing. We know we have a big one again in two days and we all have to concentrate on that now.”
As for the Islanders and Penguins, their final few games don’t present the same potential challenges in terms of strength of opponent, at least on paper.
The Isles host the Philadelphia Flyers, losers of four straight, on Saturday, play their final road game Monday in Washington before wrapping up their schedule Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens, who snapped a four-game losing streak when they beat the Capitals on Thursday.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is in Detroit for a Saturday afternoon matinee before playing two teams currently tied for the league’s worst record during their final two games. The Pens host the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night in their final home game, then close out their schedule Thursday in Columbus.
For the teams still in the hunt, it really doesn’t matter who the opponent is.
There should be some very entertaining hockey in the days to come, as each of these clubs empty the tank for a ticket to the big dance.
“I think there’s a week left in the year, nothing to save it for now,” said Tkachuk.