Playoff percentages: Avalanche sliding out of Western playoff race
Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff races, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.
Eastern Conference
It's all but over for the Panthers. While Florida had the night off Sunday, it received little help from outside forces as the New Jersey Devils picked up two more points to widen their lead for the second wild-card spot. The Devils now stand seven points up on Florida.
While Florida has five games remaining - compared to New Jersey's three - the Panthers would likely need to win at least four of those contests to keep their playoff dream alive.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devils | 2-1 W vs. MTL | 95.9% | +5.1% |
| Flyers | 4-3 W (OT) vs. BOS | 99.3% | +1.9% |
| Blue Jackets | Off | 99.0% | -0.3% |
| Panthers | Off | 5.8% | -6.7% |
Western Conference
It just keeps getting worse for the Colorado Avalanche. First, the key injuries to starting netminder Semyon Varlamov and top defenseman Erik Johnson. Then, an overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
The two squads are battling it out for the final few playoff spots in the West, while Anaheim's overtime win over the Avalanche on Sunday further chipped away at Colorado's postseason hopes.
As it stands, the Avalanche now rank just one point ahead of St. Louis - despite playing one additional game - gripping the final playoff position as the end of the regular season closes in.
| Team | Result | Playoff Chances | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | 4-3 W (OT) vs. COL | 93.6% | +10% |
| Sharks | Off | 99.9% | 0% |
| Wild | Off | 98.3% | -0.2% |
| Kings | Off | 91.2% | -1.3% |
| Blues | Off | 63.6% | -3% |
| Avalanche | 4-3 L (OT) vs. ANA | 53.3% | -5.6% |
To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.