Monday 18 March 2019

{coyotes} Stanley Cup Playoffs primer: Western Conference

 

Here is where the Western Conference playoff picture stands today:

 
Calgary Flames (44-21-7)

Where they stand: 95 points; first in Pacific Division

Games remaining: 10 (six home; four road)

Key games: March 26 at Winnipeg Jets; March 31 at San Jose Sharks

If playoffs started today: Would play the Arizona Coyotes in first round

Need to know: The Flames became the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot when the Minnesota Wild lost on Sunday.

 

San Jose Sharks (43-21-8)

Where they stand: 94 points; second in Pacific Division

Games remaining: 10 (six home; four road)

Key games: March 18 vs. Vegas Golden Knights; March 31 vs. Calgary Flames

If playoffs started today: Would play the Vegas Golden Knights in first round

Need to know: The Sharks are third in the NHL in scoring, averaging 3.48 goals per game, but have allowed 3.04 goals per game, which is tied with the Anaheim Ducks for 18th.

 

Vegas Golden Knights (40-27-5)

Where they stand: 85 points; third in Pacific Division

Games remaining: 10 (five home, five road)

Key games: March 18 at Sharks; April 4 vs. Arizona Coyotes

If playoffs started today: Would play the Sharks in first round

Need to know:  Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury leads the league with 58 games started, 35 victories and eight shutouts

 

Winnipeg Jets (42-25-4)

Where they stand: 88 points; first in Central Division

Games remaining: 11 (four home, seven road)

Key games: March 23 vs. Nashville Predators

If playoffs started today: Would play the Dallas Stars in first round

Need to know: The Jets are 18-16-0 away from Bell MTS Place. They have allowed 106 goals on the road this year and scored 102.

 

Nashville Predators (41-27-5)

Where they stand: 87 points; second in Central Division

Games remaining: Nine (five home, four road)

Key games: March 23 at Jets; April 6 vs. Chicago Blackhawks

If playoffs started today: Would play the St. Louis Blues in first round

Need to know: The Predators are ranked 30th in the NHL with a power play percentage of 13.0.

 

St. Louis Blues (37-27-8)

Where they stand: 82 points; third in Central Division

Games remaining: 10 (seven home, three road)

Key games: April 1 vs. Colorado Avalanche; March 3 at Chicago Blackhawks

If playoffs started today: Would play the Predators in first round

Need to know: Since the calendar turned to 2019, the Blues are 22-9-4, the best record in the West in that time frame.

 

Dallas Stars (37-29-6)

Where they stand: 80 points; first wild card from Western Conference

Games remaining: 10 (five home; five road)

Key games: March 25 at Jets; April 6 vs. Wild

If playoffs started today: Would play Jets in first round

Need to know: The Stars have allowed the second-fewest goals in the League (177) and scored the third-fewest (181).

 
Arizona Coyotes (36-30-6)

Where they stand: 78 points; second wild card from Western Conference

Games remaining: 10 (four home; six road)

Key games: March 29 at Colorado Avalanche; March 31 vs. Wild

If playoffs started today: Would play Flames in first round 

Need to know: The Coyotes are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games. Their total of 27 points (13-4-1) since Feb. 9 is tied with Blues for most in Western Conference in that time frame.

 

Minnesota Wild (34-30-9)

Where they stand: 77 points; one point out of second wild card

Games remaining: nine (four home; five road)

Key games: March 19 vs. Colorado Avalanche; April 6 at Stars

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify 

Need to know: The Wild are 19-15-2 on the road this season compared to 15-15-7 at home.

 

Colorado Avalanche (31-29-12)

Where they stand: 74 points; four points out of second wild card

Games remaining: 10 (five home, five road)

Key games: March 19 at Wild; April 1 at Blues

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is out 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. He has an NHL career-high 33 goals and 69 points this season.

 

Chicago Blackhawks (32-30-9)

Where they stand: 73 points; five points out of second wild card

Games remaining: 11 (six home; five road)

Key games: March 24 vs. Avalanche; April 3 vs. Blues

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: The Blackhawks have allowed 259 goals, most in the Western Conference and second-most in the NHL (Ottawa Senators, 262).

 

Edmonton Oilers (32-33-7)

Where they stand: 71 points; seven points out of second wild card

Games remaining: 10 (six home; four road)

Key games: March 28 vs. Stars; April 6 at Flames

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: The Oilers play two games the rest of the season against teams from the Eastern Conference. Edmonton is 12-14-3 against the East this season.

 

Vancouver Canucks (30-32-10)

Where they stand: 70 points; eight points out of second wild card

Games remaining: 10 (seven home; three road)

Key games: March 18 vs Blackhawks; March 30 vs. Stars

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: Center Elias Pettersson became the first rookie to reach the 60-point mark this season when he got his 33rd assist in a 3-2 win against the Stars on Sunday.

 

Anaheim Ducks (30-35-9)

Where they stand: 69 points; nine points out of second wild card

Games remaining: eight (four home; four road)

Key game: March 26 at Canucks

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: The Ducks average 27.7 shots on goal per game, fewest in the NHL.

 

Los Angeles Kings (25-38-8)

Where they stand: 58 points; 20 points out of second wild card

Games remaining: 11 (six home; five road)

Key game: March 18 vs. Jets; March 26 at Oilers

If playoffs started today: Would not qualify

Need to know: The Kings will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss of any kind against the Jets on Monday.

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