Penguins Loss Pulls Them Out of Wild Card Spot
The most recent loss from the Pittsburgh Penguins has pushed them further down the standings.
PITTSBURGH - It’s no secret the Eastern Conference wild card race will be a dog fight for the final stretch of the season, but with their most recent loss, the Pittsburgh Penguins have fallen out of the running.
The Penguins lost another heartbreaking game to the Ottawa Senators, while the Florida Panthers continued their surge.
The Panthers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in regulation to make a leap in the Eastern standings.
Thanks to their win, the Panthers hit a record of 36-27-7 for 79 points, just one more than the Penguins’ 34-26-10 for 78 points.
Both the Penguins and Panthers have played in 70 games so there are no games in hand advantage.
They do, however, have a game in hand on the New York Islanders who hold the top wild card spot in the East.
The Islanders sit with a 36-27-8 record for 80 points in 71 games.
While the wild card reads the Islanders and Panthers, this does not mean the Penguins are totally out of the running.
If the Penguins can rifle off a few good games, collect as many points as possible, they still have a very real chance of reaching the postseason.
The odds continue to shrink with every passing loss, and the runway is getting shorter, but the opportunity is still there.
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