The Carolina Hurricanes, by virtue of a 8-1-1 run in their last 10 games, hold a solid seven-point lead over their closest Southeast Division rivals the Caps and Panthers with 10 games remaining in the NHL regular season. While the Canes travel to Buffalo Friday and face the Ottawa Senators Sunday afternoon at the RBC Center, both the Caps and Panthers face crucial home games both days that will go a long way in determining whether or not their playoff run will continue or end before St. Patty's Day.
The Capitals picked up a vital two points Wednesday night beating Calgary at home, and face the Thrashers tonight at the Verizon Center. The Thrashers exit their first win in regulation last night since Feb. 2 (at Washington), also against Calgary, but the Thrashers are 2-11 in the second game of back-to-back games this season. The Thrashers are 2-10 in their last 12 games and 0-7 in their last seven road games.
The Capitals host the Bruins Sunday afternoon before embarking on a six-game road trip that takes them to Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida before returning home for their final three games of the season. The Caps are 5-3 in their last eight games, all in regulation, and 5-5 in their last 10 road games.
Jacques Martin's Panthers are clinging to their playoff hopes by virtue of their current five-game winning streak. Florida won just twice in its prior 10 games amassing just seven points. However, the Cats are at home for the next week as they host the surging N.Y. Rangers tonight, the Thrashers on Sunday before the Hurricanes and Lightning visit Sunshine Thursday March 20 and Saturday March 22 to round out a seven-game, 16-night homestand.
While both teams trail the Canes by seven points in the division standings, they each trail the 8th-place Flyers by five points for the final playoff spot. After back-to-back road games this weekend at Boston and Pittsburgh, the Flyers have three home games against Atlanta, the Rangers and the Islanders before four straight road games against Atlantic Divsion opponents, the Rangers, Devils, Islanders and Penguins. They finish the season with two home games against the Devils and Penguins.
Compounding the problem for the Caps' and Panthers' assault for the final playoff spot are the Buffalo Sabres, a team that currently sits in ninth place overall. The Sabres, a team that reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, have six of their next eight games at home before three road games to close out the reguar season. However, the Sabres are just 2-8 in their last 10 games and added just seven points to their total during that skein. Three defensemen are injured, Jaroslav Spacek, Dmitri Kalinin and Nathan Paetsch, but the Sabres are capable of stringing some valuable wins together. The Sabres face off against the Hurricanes tonight at home and the Maple Leafs in Toronto tomorrow night before getting three days of rest before three straight home games beginning Wednesday night against Tampa Bay.
While all games are important, if the Caps and Panthers don't come away with at least three points each from this weekend's games, for all intents and purposes they can kiss the NHL playoffs goodbye this season.