Clinching scenarios for still-alive Bruins, Flyers, Red Wings
The Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers are alive. That's all that matters at this point. But one of them won't be come Monday morning.
| Team | Points | ROW | GR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit (3rd in Atlantic) | 93 | 39 | 1 |
| Boston (wild card No. 2) | 93 | 38 | 1 |
| Philadelphia | 92 | 36 | 2 |
Here's how each team can get in:
Flyers
The Flyers' task is simple in theory: Win their final two games, and they're into the playoffs as a wild card. Problem is, they play a back-to-back, at home against Pittsburgh (winners of eight straight) on Saturday and in Brooklyn against the playoff-bound Islanders on Sunday.
Red Wings
Detroit's currently the third playoff team in the Atlantic with 93 points and 39 regulation and overtime wins (ROW). Thanks to the tiebreaker over Boston - one more ROW than the Bruins heading into game No. 82 for both teams - the Red Wings control their own fate. Win Saturday against the Rangers on the road (12:30 p.m. ET) and they're in, setting up a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Bruins
If the Red Wings lose in any fashion, and the Bruins win in any fashion in Ottawa on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET), the Bruins are the Atlantic's third-place team and into the playoffs. If the Red Wings win and the Bruins win Saturday afternoon, all eyes in Boston turn to the Flyers. Should the Bruins pick up a ROW, the only way they can be bumped by the Flyers is by Philadelphia winning its final two games.
It's a bit complicated, if we really get down to the specifics, and go into overtime and shootout losses and loser points. What you read above is what teams need to do to get in, period.
All in all, it could come down to the last game of the regular season on Sunday night, Flyers and Islanders, to finalize the playoff picture. Yes, please.