The NHL playoff picture just got a whole lot clearer in the West, while the East is heading for a dramatic finish.
All eight Western Conference playoff spots are now locked in, thanks to big wins by the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
Here’s how the Western matchups will look:
* Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues
* Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche
* Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild
* Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
The Dallas-Colorado series is shaping up to be a blockbuster. These are two of the NHL’s powerhouse teams, and there’s extra spice with Mikko Rantanen facing his old Avalanche teammates for the first time in the playoffs since being traded.
There’s a fun twist in the Vegas-Minnesota matchup too. Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury might end up facing his former Vegas teammates – talk about awkward reunions.
The Kings and Oilers? They’re practically playoff roommates at this point. It’s their fourth straight year meeting in round one, with Edmonton winning all three previous matchups.
The pressure’s really on both teams this time around. Edmonton’s superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in their prime, and the clock’s ticking on their Stanley Cup dreams. Meanwhile, the Kings are desperate to prove they can finally get past their Edmonton roadblock.
But while the West is all settled, the East is pure chaos.
The Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets are in a nail-biting battle for the last playoff spot. Montreal’s hanging on by their fingernails, but Columbus made things really interesting with a 3-0 win over Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Here’s what needs to happen: Montreal just needs one point against Carolina on Wednesday to clinch. Win, lose in overtime – doesn’t matter. Just don’t lose in regulation.
But if Montreal does lose in regulation? Then Columbus could steal that playoff spot with a win against the Islanders on Thursday.
The prize? A first-round date with the Washington Capitals.
Talk about drama in the final days of the regular season.
