The Western Conference playoff race is shaping up for what promises to be a frantic and phenomenal finish. There are four points separating five teams for the final wild card playoff spot with the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and Los Angeles Kings. Meanwhile the up and down San Jose Sharks are just four points out of the final playoff spot. What it all means is that we are in a regular season play-in with a weekend that promises to be intense and meaningful.
Jets Encounter Turbulence – Will they Crash?
The Winnipeg Jets have lost five out of their last eight games and suffered a heartbreaking loss at St. Louis on Tuesday in which they rallied from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game, only to see the Blues Barret Jackman score on a bad, game winning goal with 1:03 to play. Head coach Paul Maurice was livid and trying not to throw goaltenders Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson under the bus, but the debacle does call into question the Jets true playoff viability.
The loss of team captain and number one defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to an upper body issue until late March may prove to be the final body blow to what has been an inspiring story. Hutchinson has slumped badly with an .883 save percentage after stealing the job from Pavelec, who made snide remarks after allowing the Jackman goal, about being rusty because he has been riding the pine. Pavelec is at .899 for his save percentage in his last five games. If the Jets don’t get significantly better goaltending you can write them off for a playoff spot. Winnipeg has a tough game at Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Truculent Flames Won’t Surrender
The Calgary Flames have two winnable games this weekend as they will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday and will be at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The Flames are an inspiring story and they refuse to lie down and die despite the season ending injury to team captain and top defenseman Mark Giordano. Calgary has won four out of five games and dominated the Anaheim Ducks in a 6-3 home win on Tuesday that was indicative of their character and underrated talent ability.
Goaltender Jonas Hiller has stepped up his game with a .926 save percentage in his last five games.
Kings Face Critical Test against Slumping Preds
The defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are just one point behind the Jets for the final Western Conference playoff spot and will have a pressure packed home game Saturday night against the Nashville Predators. Nashville has lost six out of their last seven games and is now tied with the Anaheim Ducks for the top record in the Western Conference. The lack of a finishing sniper is a growing concern for the Preds.
The Kings have lost four out of their last seven games that followed an eight-game winning streak. While LA would not be a team to bet against, the fact remains that LA has dropped significantly in quality defensive depth from last year and is once again struggling to score goals. Goaltender Jonathan Quick is going to have to carry the Kings to the playoffs and his wildly inconsistent play has been a problem. Quick has a subpar .913 save percentage on the season with an .883 save percentage in his last five games. The lack of quality rearguards is forcing Quick to face higher quality shots than in the past.
Sunday Showdown
The Predators and Ducks will have a first place showdown on Sunday night at the Honda Canter in Anaheim. The Ducks and Preds are not just competing for the top spot in the Western Conference, but also for the NHL overall standings as well. Anaheim has slumped to lose three out of their last four games with bad defensive breakdowns. Goaltender John Gibson continues to develop as the top Ducks goaltender with a save percentage of .923 in his last five games. James Wisniewski has gotten off to a slow start with no points and a minus-three after joining the Ducks in a trade.
