The playoff picture came into focus on Thursday night. Three of the four remaining playoff spots were locked up when Carolina, Colorado, and Pittsburgh won last night, leaving Montreal and Columbus dueling for the last spot. That’s the big story on Friday, but there is other news around the hockey world too.
WE ARE IN! #TakeWarning pic.twitter.com/nhAQ1VsUOh
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) April 5, 2019
The Carolina Hurricanes ensured that they would be in the postseason after a 3-1 win over New Jersey on Thursday night. They have been one of the hottest teams in 2019, with a 29-12-2 mark since the new year.
WE'RE IN!
The Penguins are playoff bound for the 13th consecutive season, the longest streak in the NHL.#LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/38XavCFrpj
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 5, 2019
It hasn’t been the best season for Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they are now in the playoffs after a 4-1 win over Detroit. Pittsburgh has now made it to the playoffs in 13 straight seasons, and both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are healthy too.
A great time to get hot 🔥#GoAvsGo https://t.co/8ywqKE3rob
— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 5, 2019
The Avalanche rode a 10-game points streak to a playoff berth on Thursday night, capping things off with an overtime win over Winnipeg. To sweeten the pot, the Avalanche are the favorite to have the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft too.
The NCAA hockey version of the #FinalFour, the #FrozenFour, is coming to Buffalo next week. We like to talk about how we are a great sports town, so let's prove it by supporting the teams and the event. Hope to see a packed @KeyBankCtr for every game! pic.twitter.com/Ir4EzNEigw
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) April 5, 2019
If you’re feeling like you might miss March Madness next weekend, turn your attention away from the hardwood and onto the ice. The Frozen Four has been set, and Minnesota-Duluth are the oddsmakers’ favorite to take down the competition.
US women score 5 times in 3rd period to top Finns 6-2 to open hockey world championships. https://t.co/YDEdcsuYzj
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) April 4, 2019
The United States got off to a great start at the Women’s Ice Hockey World Championships, smashing host Finland 6-2 in their opener. It took a while for the women to get going, and they were down 2-1 entering the third period, but they slotted home five in the final 20 minutes to make the result a laugher.
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- Hurricanes, Penguins clinch playoff spots | NBC Sports
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- Postgame Wrap-Up: Strong Finish Helps Avs Earn Playoff Berth | NHL
- College hockey: UMD favored by oddsmakers to win Frozen Four | Duluth News Tribune
- US women score 5 in 3rd, top Finns 6-2 to open hockey worlds | AP News