Tasser’s Take: NHL teams make final playoff push

With only five or six games remaining for each team, the National Hockey League playoff picture… With only five or six games remaining for each team, the National Hockey League playoff picture is still far from clear.

Three teams in each conference are sitting comfortably with playoff berths locked up, but many more are scratching and clawing for their opportunity to compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

In the East Division, three teams from the Atlantic Division — the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers — have clinched playoff spots, with a fourth — the New Jersey Devils — sitting in sixth on the cusp of securing their own spot. The drama lies in the three-way battle for the last two spots and the fight for the top seed.

The Ottawa Senators (88 points), Buffalo Sabres (86 pts) and Washington Capitals (84 pts) are locked in a battle with five games remaining for each team.

The Sabres are coming off a big 5-1 dismantling of the Capitals and have won five games in a row. They are surging at the right time, but face a tough test in the equally red-hot Penguins on Friday.

Ottawa has won its past two but will play three playoff teams — the Flyers, Bruins and Devils — over its last five games, which could, if the teams are resting their players, be a blessing in disguise.

Washington is on its way to yet another disappointing season. Remember back in October when, after a 7-0-0 start, everyone was preparing for the Caps to break out and stop underachieving in the playoffs? Well, all signs point to a spring spent sitting on the couch for the fading Capitals. They have lost five of their past seven games and still have to play Boston, Florida and the Rangers. On top of that, they’ll need losses from either the Senators or Sabres. It’s not looking good right now in our nation’s capital, and I just can’t see them snapping out of it in time to catch a spot.

The Penguins, currently on a 14-2-1 tear, have been snapping at the heels of the top-seeded Rangers for about a week.

They are three points back with six games to play, and every win is going to count. If they fail to catch the Rangers, they will be forced into fourth place — behind the three division winners — and matched up with the fifth-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in the first round. Neither the Pens nor the Rangers desire a first-round match-up with a dangerous and physical division rival, making the top seed a priority for both teams. However, Pittsburgh will have to win the top seed outright; New York holds the tiebreaker by virtue of a league-high 44 wins in regulation or overtime (not including shootout victories).

In the west, the surprising St. Louis Blues have ridden a two-headed goaltending monster (their backup, Brian Elliott, currently holds the league lead in goals against average, save percentage and is in a three-way tie for the lead in shutouts, while their starter, Jaroslav Halak, ranks second in GAA, fifth in save percentage and tied for fourth in shutouts) to the league’s best record. Vancouver has clinched the West Division, and Detroit, sitting in fourth place but nearly out of striking distance of the division leading Blues, is the third team in the West to clinch a playoff spot.

But here is where the West Division gets tricky. There are five — count ’em, five — teams within two points of the final two playoff spots in the conference.

Dallas and Phoenix (87 points) are currently in, but making their lives miserable are Los Angeles, Colorado (both with 86 pts) and Calgary (85 pts). The Stars are sitting in the best spot, currently in seventh (via tiebreaker over the Coyotes) with six games remaining. The Coyotes only have five games to play, but get to play the likes of Anaheim, Minnesota and Columbus — all pitiful teams.

Colorado is in a bit of a precarious position, a point out but with only four games to play, including a big match-up with Calgary. The Flames have five games remaining and also have to play the Kings, along with the Aves.

Los Angeles, following its game with the Flames, only has to play the Oilers twice and the Wild once in its remaining games. But none of these teams are playing particularly well. Dallas has won just two of its past six games, Phoenix and Los Angeles have both lost their past two, and Colorado its past three. The Flames just recently defeated the Stars, but lost five in a row prior to that. Whew, get all that?

Anyway, if I had to bet, I would say the Dallas Stars and the Los Angeles Kings both limp into the playoffs in the most exciting who-wants-it-least race that anyone has ever seen.