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Hurricanes, Avalanche and Penguins Clinch Playoff Spots

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TOP STORIES

  • Hurricanes, Penguins clinch playoff spots | NBC Sports
  • PHN Postgame: Kessel shines, 3 Takeaways from Penguins Win | Pittsburgh Hockey
  • 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

Written by Jonathan Willis

Jonathan Willis has written on virtually every sport imaginable over the last decade. His specialties are college football, eSports, politics, the NFL and the NHL. He is always looking for soft markets to pounce on, and he will have you in the black by the end of the year.

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